Slaves, Cannibals, and Infected Hyper-Whites: The Race and Religion of Zombies by Elizabeth McAlister
Introduction
In the article, ‘’Slaves, Cannibals, and Infected Hyper-Whites: The Race and Religion of Zombies’’ authored by McAlister Elizabeth, the author attempts to provide insights to the readers in regard to zombies. The significance of the article is that it highlights Haitian familiarity and religion. In achieving this the author hints the beginning of Zombie from the ancient Haitian culture (McAlister 473). While she utilizes ethnographic research she connects the results with the current day’s zombie and the manner in which they are viewed in today’s American culture (McAlister 472). McAlister throughout the article argues that Zombie is not a mere popular culture occurrence but is an entrepreneurial, spiritual, mythological and racial symbol.
Today’s American culture is a symbolic depiction that highlights the intrusive social modifications that have been fueled by the diverse groups that have settled in the country (McAlister 461). The past assumption of Haitian culture offers the most suitable sample from the article regarding the manner in which the American Society has changed because of the influence that has been installed by its new populace on its major magnitudes of the prevalent culture. Within the fresh epidemiologic Zombie’s outbreaks visualizations, immigrants, as well as other fresh groups, are perceived as a dangerous and intimidating component (McAlister 474). This is an aspect raids panic within the whole American society that then grow to a campaigned mistrust.
McAlister, however, asserts that the established fear can be eliminated socially. In that, for instance, contrary to the past where women were subjected by inferiority the kind of woman in the American society today has overcome the gender-based discrimination by working against the blocks that hindered her desires and is now engaging and accomplishing most things that were previously considered to be done by men (McAlister 461). However, today, belief, ethnicity, and sex are still empowered structures via which the social ladder is propagated. The article argues that today American Zombies are constructed and campaigned politically and socially which creates a form of panic. In that, the cultural and social depiction of the American zombies is normally an authoritatively associated with major governmental and social groups that are perceived as dangers by the white community and upper-class persons (McAlister 462). This groups that are today’s zombie include immigrants, black people and modern women who are now engaged in responsibilities previously considered to be male’s (McAlister 465).
In the ancient period, Zombies were perceived as a form of luck because they not only provided cheap labor in the slavery period but they generated wealth for the government and natives (McAlister 462). It is, however, very saddening that the notion has changed and the groups have made undoubtedly changes for the betterment of themselves and that of others. McAlister highlights that these changes have created a culture that is full of panic. She notes that for most films in the past, typically zombies were black but today the norm has changed since they are mainly while the protagonist is for the colored persons (McAlister 461).
Conclusion
In summing up, while the knowledge of zombies has existed for years, Zombies have always been utilized as an ethnicity symbol. In that in the society today the non-natives are considered to be major threats to the dominating race based on the changes they have brought. It is apparent from the article that the notion of threat is mainly fueled governmentally and socially something that can be eliminated by encouraging togetherness and acknowledging the contributions of every group.
Work Cited
McAlister, Elizabeth. Slaves, Cannibals, and Infected Hyper-Whites: The Race and Religion of Zombies. 2012. The Institute for Ethnographic Research (IFER). Anthropological Quarterly, Vol. 85, No. 2, p. 457–486.
