John Blair | Killing the Dead Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World

Name: John Blair | Killing the Dead Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World
Start: 2025-10-31T19:00:00+00:00
Location: Church of St Peter and St Paul, Wantage

Schedule

Fri, 31 Oct, 2025 at 07:00 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

Church of St Peter and St Paul, Wantage | Wantage, EN

John Blair provides a comprehensive history of vampire panics across various cultures and eras. Blair takes readers on a journey from ancient Mesopotamia to modern-day Haiti, exploring how societies have dealt with the fear of the undead. The book blends archaeological, anthropological, and psychological insights with vampire lore from literature and popular culture. John Blair argues that corpse-killing served as a therapeutic outlet for societal fears and anxieties, preventing violence against marginalized groups. Richly illustrated, this book offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most misunderstood forms of mass hysteria. Held at dusk, this event promises to be atmospheric and suitably eerie for Halloween. Reverend Katherine Price will interview John Blair.
John Blair is Emeritus Professor of Medieval History and Archaeology at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of The Queen's College, Oxford.
The event will be followed by a question and answer session and book signing.