Eldritch Pedagogy : Using Lovecraft’s Cosmic Horror against Processes of Othering

Sammanfattning

Be it the monstrous description of a dark, goatish infant born to a feared and half-insane father and deformed, sickly pink-eyed albino mother in “The Dunwich Horror,” or the dehumanising words used to describe the illegal immigrants who move to Red Hook and flood the area with crime in “The Horror at Red Hook,” Lovecraft’s infamously xenophobic language is perfect for discussing the connection between Othering and the element of horror. Using Postcolonial Theory and Critical Race Theory to break down the Othering language and practices found in “The Dunwich Horror” and “The Horror at Red Hook,” this essay aims to study if and how Lovecraftian horror can be used to discuss difficult topics surrounding the concept of Othering. Additionally, this essay discusses both the broader use of monsters as a pedagogical tool for encouraging critical thinking skills and the viability of using Lovecraft’s texts in upper secondary school. We believe that the ideas discussed in this essay can inspire further research into the pedagogical aspects of horror literature.