Seminar and discussion with Dr. Riestra-Camacho (University of Oviedo, Spain).
Date and Time: November 1, 2024. 15:00-17:00
Location: Kyoto University, Faculty & Graduate School of Letters, Basement Meeting Room
Language: English.
Participation is free.
Picture a vampire and say you did not imagine it as this slender, elegantly pallid figure dressed in dark and vermillion tones. Not all mental imageries are born equal, but contemporary vampire aesthetics do revolve around these Gothic motifs and are reminiscent of 19th-century Victorian looks. For those engaged with vampire fandom (think fanfics or vampire cosplay), this code of aesthetics implies not only a certain apparel but also a body type ideal that matches their vision of how a beautiful vampire should look like overall.
In this talk, Dr. Rocío Riestra-Camacho (University of Oviedo, Spain) will address the question of aesthetic codes in the vampire fandom community and explore the impact that such codes can have on mental health. Specifically, she will explore their relationship with a vulnerability to develop restrictive eating behaviours characteristic of anorexia nervosa. In the final part of the session, Dr Riestra-Camacho will present the project she is preparing along this line of research, which will combine vampire fiction, psychology, and game-based learning (e.g., vampire live-action role-play, or LARP).
If you are interested in any of these topics, please register and join Dr. Riestra-Camacho and Prof. Dr. Björn-Ole Kamm for this seminar and discussion.
Registration by October 31 via vampire@cats.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp (please include your name and affiliation.
Image by Sylvester0102 CC BY-NC-ND 3.0