The Dark Arts Research Group

In January 2023, the University of Copenhagen launched the Dark Arts Research Group (DARG). Covering the period from 1750 to the present, the project will take an in-depth look at the global public’s “fascination with otherworldly entities and the macabre”. The DARG is specifically interested in exploring the varied ways horror, gothic, and other esoteric topics have been “communicated, presented, and packaged for broad audiences”.

To learn more about the group and its forthcoming conference, The Thinker’s Garden caught up with DARG’s co-convenor, Dr Efram Sera-Shriar.

The Custodian: How did the Dark Arts Research Group come about?

Dr Efram Sera-Shriar: The Dark Arts Research Group came about through a series of conversations between colleagues in the Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies at the University of Copenhagen. It was discovered that there was a tremendous amount of interest among the faculty and students for research into gothic, horror and occultic topics. Eventually, the core members of the group, led by me and Robert Rix, formally submitted an application to the university to form an official research group to pursue a program of activities connected to these scholarly areas.

The Dark Arts Research Group was officially launched in January 2023, and we already have a series of exciting activities planned, including the upcoming conference in November 2023 on popular occulture in Europe. Early plans are also afoot for a horror film screening at the University of Copenhagen that will feature an expert panel. Details about this public event will become available in due course via the website.  

C: Can independent scholars, artists, writers, and researchers also submit a papers for your forthcoming conference on occultism and popular culture in Europe?

ESS: Absolutely. We welcome submissions from all kinds of researchers. So long as the proposals fit with the scope of the conference it will be considered for inclusion in the event. Unfortunately, there is not space for every submission so all of the proposals will be assessed by the conference committee, who will select those papers that best fit with the event’s themes. 

C: Does the Dark Arts Research Group have any plans to publish an edited volume or anthology at some point?

ESS: Yes, some of the papers from the conference will be invited for inclusion in a planned special issue for a peer-reviewed journal. These are underdeveloped plans at this stage, but more information about the eventual publication will be released in due course.