Oct 22, 2013
Author Kathe Koja to explore horror and the humanities
Author Kathe Koja to explore horror and the humanities
CHICAGO — Best-selling horror and young adult fiction writer Kathe Koja will read her short story “At Eventide” during the Horror of the Humanities at DePaul University on Oct. 28. The 6-9 p.m. event, hosted by the DePaul Humanities Center, includes readings, Chicago ghost stories, art and a critical look at horror films. It is free and open to the public and will be held DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus in Cortelyou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont St.
Koja’s reading will be accompanied by an interactive, multi-media performance. Well-known for her horror fiction for adults, Koja also has written acclaimed novels for young adults, including “Under the Poppy.”
Also at the Horror of the Humanities, Maryse Meijer, a novelist and fiction writer, will perform her story, “Love, Lucy.” Ursula Bielski, a local historian, author and host of “The Hauntings of Chicago,” will discuss the connection between ghost stories and the shared Chicago history. Diem-My Bui, a visiting assistant professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago will present on the portrayals of race and gender in horror films. From 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. there will be an avant-garde “haunted house” with performance art and art installations that examine what is already horrific about everyday life.
H. Peter Steeves, director of the DePaul Humanities Center, said these events bring together people working across disciplines to address humanistic concerns. “We are welcoming authors, scholars, artists and thinkers whose work in the humanities is changing how we see the world.” By creating free public events that bring together popular culture, the arts and academia, Steeves hopes to welcome people from throughout Chicagoland to learn more about humanities scholarship at DePaul.
The Horror of the Humanities is part of the Humanities Center series “Radical Interdisciplinarity. Future events include “A Night at the Soviet Sanatorium,” exploring Soviet-sanctioned recreation at wellness centers on Oct. 23; and “The Scholar’s Vaudeville,” which will juxtapose local performers The Haines Sisters and traditional vaudeville acts with scholars discussing music, history, magic, math and rhetoric on Nov. 6.
Looking ahead, the center will host "In Conversation With Great Minds," featuring Crispin Glover and The Brothers Quay in 2014. For more information visit http://las.depaul.edu/humanitiescenter.
Best-selling horror and young adult fiction writer Kathe Koja will read her short story “At Eventide” during the Horror of the Humanities at DePaul University on Oct. 28. (Photo by Rick Lieder)