Radboud University
COURSE IS IN DUTCH | [This course has been sold out.] Witte wieven', the Chinese dragon and werewolves. Our world is full of mythical creatures that play an important role in our daily lives. They populate films, children's books and are the subject of folk festivals. Whether or not they actually exist, mythical creatures carry a wealth of meaning. In five lectures, religious scholar Arjan Sterken explains why mythical creatures are so important and what role they still play today.
In this lecture series, Arjan Sterken explains what supernatural, mythical creatures are and what their role and significance is. Why do we like to believe in monsters? Why are mythical creatures elusive and ambiguous? And how are they used as political symbols? And did you know that there is actually scientific research into the existence - or non-existence - of mythical creatures?
More information: mail to cursussen-reflects [at] ru.nl (cursussen-reflects[at]ru[dot]nl)
Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster and werewolves. Mythical creatures are often monsters. What do they mean to us? Monsters reflect our everyday problems, but they do more than that. Why is the belief in monsters such an important part of a culture?
Santa Claus and St Nicholas are in some ways similar to God. They can be in several places at once, know your deepest wishes and have an inexhaustible supply of gifts. But what exactly is a god, and why is Santa not one? Find out about different types of mythical creatures.
Angels are good and demons are bad - you can tell by their appearance. But if you look at cultures around the world, the difference between good and bad creatures is not so clear-cut. Beautiful creatures, like the sirens, can lure you into a trap, and repulsive creatures can protect you. Why are mythical creatures often elusive, indeterminate and ambiguous?
Humans and supernatural beings inhabit the same worlds and live together. It is therefore natural for mythical creatures to respond to human phenomena. For example, mythical creatures such as the Loong, or Chinese dragon, are a symbol of political power. Or mythical creatures like the Huldufólk in Iceland are actually a protest against modernisation and the destruction of nature. Why do mythical creatures take on political forms?
We do not relegate all mythical creatures to the realm of dreams. There are many people who believe in the existence of ghosts and aliens. There are even scientific searches for certain creatures. In this final lecture, you will use the knowledge gained to look at the existence - or non-existence - of mythical creatures.
Arjan Sterken is a scholar of comparative religion at Radboud University. He studies how we project our desires and fears onto the supernatural. He mainly looks at mythology and folklore in India and the Germanic area. He is also well versed in comparative Indo-European mythology and Gnostic, Chinese and Saxon folklore.
This course is for anyone with a broad interest in (folk) culture, religion, myth and fantasy. No previous knowledge is required.
The participation fee, including a reader, is €135. The reader contains mainly English texts.
The course consists of five lectures of two hours each. The lectures take place on Tuesday evenings between 11 March and 8 April 2025 from 19.30 - 21.30 in the College Hall complex of Radboud University. In addition to the 10 contact hours, you can expect several hours of self-study for reading the English texts in the reader. Reading the texts is optional.
At the end of the course you will receive a LinkedIn badge.
Registration for this course is open until 10 March 2025. Your enrolment is valid upon receipt of payment.
Are you unexpectedly unable to attend? Cancel before 11 February 2025 and receive a 100% refund of your registration fee. After this date, you will receive a 50% refund or you can register for another course. Please email cursussen-reflects [at] ru.nl.
There is no refund if you are only unable to attend one or more sessions.
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