The Center for Monster Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz is an interdisciplinary research, arts, and outreach organization focused on the ways monsters and tropes of monstrosity both perpetuate and contravene forms of social and cultural injustice.

 Our 2025 Festival of Monsters (Oct. 15-18 in beautiful Santa Cruz) is an academic conference that includes scholarly panels as well as performances, readings, and presentations from monster-makers in theater, literature, film, games, television and other media.

We invite proposals for 20-minute papers/presentations on any aspect of monsters or monster studies. In AY 2025-2026, the annual theme for The Humanities Institute at UCSC is “Nourishment.” Presentations on the relationship of monsters to this theme (consumption, cannibalism, sustenance, etc.) is particularly welcome. 

Papers and presentation proposals from all disciplines are welcome. 

Please submit 250-word abstracts and 50-word bios by April 1, 2025.