Submission Type

Paper

Keywords

apocalypse, Canadian Mennonite, cultural narrative, emergency preparedness, narrative theory, personal narrative, popular culture, Russian Mennonite, survival, walking dead, zombie

Abstract

Over the past 15 years, the story of a world devastated by the walking dead has increasingly captured our attention through movies, television, and literature. The fictional narrative of zombie apocalypse has also shaped activities of government agencies, not-for-profits, and universities. Why is this narrative captivating? How might we be using it to navigate large-scale or personal challenges? This paper suggests some answers, bringing together zombie studies, narrative theory, and Mennonite studies to do so.

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Mennonites, the Apocalypse, and the Appeal of the Walking Dead

Over the past 15 years, the story of a world devastated by the walking dead has increasingly captured our attention through movies, television, and literature. The fictional narrative of zombie apocalypse has also shaped activities of government agencies, not-for-profits, and universities. Why is this narrative captivating? How might we be using it to navigate large-scale or personal challenges? This paper suggests some answers, bringing together zombie studies, narrative theory, and Mennonite studies to do so.