The Monstrous Body as a Discursive Body
Abstract
This chapter asks what kinds of monsters are conjured in a society dedicated to a particularly theocratic ideal of “purity,” where state-sponsored religious fanaticism closes off all but a very narrow range of permissible identities. While social judgement renders the monster “evil,” the monster always shows up with a point—a perspective on what ails the world that generated it. In this case, the monster Laqqa, who remains unquestionably evil, nevertheless embodies the realization that religious intolerance and conservative extremism in Pakistan are truly the enemies of a harmonious and integrated social order.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Gothic Literature and Media Analysis
Folklore
Mythology
and Literature Studies
Crime
Deviance
and Social Control
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 13–30
- Publication date
- 10 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter