Writing the Supernatural

In his post, Jan Machielsen, Reader in Early Modern History, writes about a new venture where his students write blogs to showcase the work they are doing on the supernatural.

I’m writing a blog post to introduce another blog: Cardiff Supernatural. This blog emerges out of one of our second-year modules, HS6211 ‘A History of the Supernatural.’ This module explores Christianity’s long and multifaceted engagement with the supernatural; with miracles that exceed the order of nature, with the saints that worked such wonders, with the devil who opposed these Christian superheroes, and with the army of witches who supposedly served God’s infernal enemy. For their assessment, students undertake a creative and original public-facing project that explores the historical supernatural undercurrents that stir underneath our supposedly secular present. The blog showcases some of the unique takes that our students offered last year. Posts so far have explored the saint-like cult around Taylor Swift, the medieval cult of the dead, and the spookiness around Halloween. These posts, and many others still in the pipeline, showcase the creativity and scholarship of our students as they bring historical themes to life for a wider audience.

We hope you enjoy these posts and that you check back regularly for further updates. Together, they form something of a journey through the marvels and mysteries of history. Each post reflects not only the students’ academic rigor but also their enthusiasm for making the past accessible and engaging. Indeed, they show it is not even past. Happy reading!

To read the entries, visit: https://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/cardiff-supernatural/