The George A. Romero Horror Studies Center
The University of Pittsburgh and the George A. Romero Foundation have partnered to create The George A. Romero Horror Studies Center. The Center will be a multidisciplinary academic center dedicated solely to the study of horror.
The Horror Studies Center would contribute to the horror community in significant ways, notably in research, teaching, and community engagement.
Research
Research is stimulated by the Center’s activities, especially in conjunction with the George A. Romero Archival Collection that’s housed within the University’s Library System. The fact that the Collection and the Center both are firsts of their kind attracts top faculty and graduate students with connections across many departments and programs. Conference and publication opportunities are plentiful, as well as international collaboration efforts.
Undergraduate research opportunities stem from the need to process the Collection and further acquisitions in horror studies, and assist in digitizing and publishing findings from both. The University Library’s commitment to growing the Collection beyond George promises that the University of Pittsburgh will become the world’s foundational site for horror studies research across multiple disciplines, historical eras, and countries of origin.
Teaching
The Center promotes the use of the collection as a teaching tool in undergraduate and graduate courses that address topics such as horror and independent films; screenwriting; film analysis, history, and production; and horror across the arts and sciences. Independent research presented at events sponsored by The Foundation and Center and revised for publication.
The Center provides a hub for the longstanding interest among undergraduate students in producing low-budget horror films by offering workshops with visiting filmmakers and by developing the University of Pittsburgh’s connections with horror-associated production companies for internship and post-graduation employment opportunities. Given the strong student interest in horror studies, the Center spearheads curricular initiatives, including a major or minor in the field.
Community Engagement
The nature of horror as a popular genre with a strong, dedicated following worldwide, coupled with the importance of Romero’s legacy to the genre, opens limitless possibilities for collaborative projects with organizations across the city, the country, and the world.
Such collaborations include film festivals, museum exhibitions, oral history projects, internships, and community-based events programming. Both the GARF and the University of Pittsburgh are excited to have a Center that serves as the beating heart of these initiatives, bringing together a community of scholars, practitioners, students, and fans in an unprecedented way.
The Horror Studies Working Group
The Horror Studies Working Group (HSWG) passionately believes that horror matters and strives to provide as many opportunities as possible to study and enjoy the genre. The Group comprises four collaborating central divisions that, in addition to working independently, come together to help ensure we reach our collective goals.
The Global Horror Studies Archival and Research Network provides an academic infrastructure that facilitates the international study of horror. The George A. Romero Foundation is dedicated to continuing and honoring George’s great cultural influence by supporting new generations of filmmakers, artists, and fans inspired by his legacy.
The University of Pittsburgh Library System’s Horror Studies Archive serves as a central hub for scholarly and archival research on horror. The University of Pittsburgh’s Honors College’s Horror Genre as a Social Force Scholar Community helps fund and organize events devoted to enriching the experiences of undergraduate scholars and artists interested in further exploring the academic possibilities of the horror genre, especially its social and cultural significance.
Horror Genre as a Social Force Scholar Community
The Horror Genre as a Social Force Scholar Community is dedicated to the education of undergraduate Pitt students through the University Honors College. This community brings together students, faculty, filmmakers, and artists to develop new courses, community-building projects, and event programming.
Scholar communities at Pitt enable interdisciplinary collaboration on a topic. For the past few years, the Honors College has helped fund impressive student films and scholarly projects built on extensive archival research into the George A. Romero collection and events.
Such events showcase how horror is connected to contemporary social dynamics and often serve as a vehicle for discussing various social problems from the perspectives of underprivileged or minority communities. The Community is focused on furthering the study of horror in ways that show the genre is an art form that is socially conscious and culturally important.