8-10 December 2026
Escuela de Lenguas Modernas, Universidad de Costa Rica

The growing enthusiasm for Gothic Studies has generated ample research and resulted in numerous local and international academic events. This conference, held for the third time at the University of Costa Rica, focuses on the way in which (Un)natural Horror has become a main preoccupation, showcasing the entanglement of ecological, biological and technological concerns in the Gothic, in a current context in which the boundaries between the artificial and the natural are constantly clashing, blurring, or disappearing altogether.

We are interested in exploring how different landscapes and bodies capture Gothic concerns for the natural and the artificial in both classical and contemporary texts or mediums, such as literature, film, architecture, photography, and other forms. We also invite studies that explore how these motifs unravel in the Latin American Gothic, benefiting from the setting in which this conference will be held; nevertheless, we welcome papers that consider how these anxieties appear in other latitudes and contexts as well.

We look forward to welcoming you to San José and to engaging in vibrant discussions on the uncanny intersections of the natural and the (un)natural in Gothic studies.

Contact:

congresogotico.elm@ucr.ac.cr

Escuela de Lenguas Modernas, Facultad de Letras,
Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio, Universidad de Costa Rica.
San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica.