Step into the shadows where history, myth, and imagination intertwine. This course uncovers the Balkan origins of the vampire legend—stories born from centuries of folklore, fear, and fascination. We’ll explore how these tales of the undead reflected cultural taboos and anxieties about life, death, and “the other,” before following their transformation into Western literature and film. From historical “vampire outbreaks” in Croatia and Serbia to figures like Vlad Tepes, the myth reveals much about how societies wrestle with identity, morality, and desire. Along the way, we’ll examine how Bram Stoker’s Dracula reimagined these traditions for a new age, and why the vampire continues to haunt our imaginations today. Join us for a journey through history and story that exposes how this enduring figure mirrors the human condition—and what it means to confront the darkness within and around us.
Meet Your Instructor
Benjamin Jens received his Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His main area of research is 19th-century Russian literature – especially the works of Fyodor Dostoevsky – with a focus on the relationship between literature, discourse, and Eastern Orthodoxy. He also has research interests in Eastern European cinema, science fiction, and cultural ties between the Western Balkans and Russia. Dr. Jens is also the director of the Arizona in Russia study abroad program in Moscow, Russia.
Location
POETRY CENTER
Dorothy Rubel Room
1508 E Helen
Tucson, AZ 85721
United States
Located on the SE corner of Helen Street and Vine Avenue, one block north of Speedway and three blocks west of Campbell Ave.
