Zombies and International Relations: A Simple Guide for Bringing the Undead into Your Classroom

Abstract

Interest in zombies is booming across campuses. International Relations (IR) scholars have likewise begun to pay attention to the undead, as the zombie invasion scenario—envisioned in a variety of movies, television shows, and books—brings to bear many of the key issues and controversies of international relations theory. Here I provide some concrete suggestions for incorporating zombies into undergraduate classes. Drawing from a leading book in this genre (World War Z), I sketch out some of the ways that the zombie wars can be applied to key issues taught in introductory-level IR classes. I then provide specific suggestions to incorporating these insights into the classroom, including discussion guides and simple role-playing exercises.

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