This month’s guest on the Rejected Religion Podcast is Brennan Kettelle. Brennan returns for Part 2 of our discussion on Monster Theory, this time looking at the applications of Monster Theory, as well as a more in-depth look at how Brennan is using this theory, along with other related concepts and theories. 

Brennan is a PhD researcher at the Centre for History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents (HHP), University of Amsterdam. Brennan holds an MA in Gender and Cultural studies (2016) and a research MA in Religious Studies, specializing in Western esotericism (2021). She is currenting writing her doctoral dissertation, investigating historical associations between the religiomythic demoness Lilith and queerness within artistic, literary, and occult discourses. Brennan also teaches an 8-week online course on Lilith - focusing on Lilith’s origins and cultural receptions within Western esotericism - for the Brooklyn-based organization Morbid Anatomy. Utilizing monster theory and queer theory in her research, Brennan is more broadly interested in investigating themes of the ‘monstrous-queer’ within esoteric literature, orders, and figures, as well as esoteric themes within queer subcultures, politics, and histories.


Some highlights:

Brennan’s areas of exploration are primarily located in Gender Studies, Queer Theory, Religious Studies, Horror Theory, and Esotericism. In addition, as Monster Theory has a foundation in psychoanalysis and postmodern theories, Brennan expands on this in greater detail. This leads us into a conversation about the recent film, The Substance, as well as theories found in Foucault’s works. 

Shifting the focus to Religious Studies, Brennan notes how monsters are most often aligned with evil; however, there are exceptions to this when it comes to werewolves in the Bible, for example. [Note: the text that I am reading from regarding werewolves in the Bible as well as the Werewolf Renaissance is taken from my own Research Master thesis.] Religion and Horror Studies intersect in films such as Longlegs, where we can see themes such as “monstrous infection” or a returning sickness.
As Brennan states, “the monster is the illumination of everything a society oppresses or represses.”

Speaking on the working term of ‘stigmatized alignment,’  Brennan uses the examples of poet Renee Vivien, and “The Witch of Kings Cross” Rosaleen Norton to explain this concept in more detail. 

In closing, Brennan touches upon the adjacent theory of Hauntology, where past ‘monsters’ linger in the present and haunt us. Time, in this instance, could be seen as a monster as well. 

This is the Free Content version of Episode 33; you can find the full episode at my Patreon page: https://patreon.com/RejectedReligion?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
This episode is also available for a one-time purchase.

PROGRAM NOTES

Find Brennan:

https://uva.academia.edu/SBrennanKettelle

https://www.instagram.com/_restingwitchface/

Monster Theory Resources:

https://ieas-szeged.hu/downtherabbithole/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Barbara-Creed-The-Monstrous-Feminine-2007.pdf

https://archive.org/details/monstersincloset0000bens

https://www.amazon.com/Celluloid-Closet-Arthur-Laurents/dp/B001NI5C6U

https://archive.org/details/religionitsmonst0000beal

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203361894/philosophy-horror-noel-carroll

https://revisesociology.com/2016/09/21/foucault-surveillance-crime-control/

https://medium.com/deterritorialization/jacques-derridas-specter-s-of-marx-and-the-concept-of-hauntology-reflections-on-deconstruction-2eb687322a69

https://academic.oup.com/fs/article/59/3/373/638853

Films and Shows Mentioned (Selection):

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17526714/ The Substance

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23468450/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt  Longlegs

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14966898/ Late Night with the Devil

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4574334/  Stranger Things 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5040012/ Nosferatu 2024

Renee Vivien:

https://allpoetry.com/Renee-Vivien 

https://youtu.be/3dUc17ut3as?si=KJ9ZDCBFct00eQuj Spotlight with Brennan Kettelle 2021

Rosaleen Norton:

https://www.witchofkingscross.com/about-new/ 


Theme Music and Editing: Daniel P. Shea

End Production: Stephanie Shea