Balkan Vampires: Society, Politics, Representation [Hardcover]

Preface??Foreword by Slobodan Naumovi??1.?Shadows and Meanings: The Methodological and Theoretical Approach??2.?Past and Current Research on Vampires in Serbia: An Overview??3.?The Many Faces of the Village Vampire: Tracing Cultural Continuity??4.?Metamorphoses of the Vampire in the Context of the Serbian Village??5.?The Vampire Between Two Worldviews??6.?The Vampire Between Power and Pop: A Symbolic Trajectory??7.?Brand or Burden: Intimate Belief or Public Commodity???8.?Worlds in Dissonance: Folklore, Belief, and the Question of Reality??9.?From Oblivion to Eternity  Concluding Remarks??Index

Balkan Vampires examines how vampire motifs from Balkan folklore have permeated modern sociocultural and political realms, exploring their role in rural traditions and transformation under global influences.

Danilo Trbojevi is an anthropologist and researcher in the Institute of Ethnography at the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts, Belgrade.

Balkan Vampires examines how vampire motifs from Balkan folklore have permeated modern sociocultural and political realms, exploring their role in rural traditions and transformation under global influences. The book builds on extensive fieldwork conducted in village communities across Serbia, the cradle of vampire lore, where the author has been able to record numerous stories, memories, and testimonies of residents. The research reveals the vampire not merely as a mythical figure but as a potent symbol in cultural and political discourse. The chapters demonstrate that vampire narratives are not just remnants of traditional rural beliefs but are actively engaged in shaping contemporary cultural and social identities. The author analyzes the persistence and adaptability of vampire motifs, demonstrating their relevance in expressing community fearlS4