We explore how Stranger Things signals a new monstrous moment, moving from unknowable creatures to human-made villains, and what that shift says about power, identity, and culture. Along the way, we ask how animals get coded as monsters and when their agency is reclaimed or removed in film and TV.Date Recorded: 22 April 2025 Featured: Tolerance Discourse and Young Adult Holocaust Literatureby Rachel Dean-Ruzicka Paranormal Maturation: Uncanny Teenagers and Canny Killers by Rachel Dean-Ruzicka Of Scrivens and Sparks: Girl Geniuses in Young Adult Dystopian Fiction by Rachel Dean-Ruzicka Monster Culture (Seven Theses) by Jeffrey Jerome CohenThe Monster Theory Reader by  Jeffrey Andrew WeinstockThe Angel of Indian Lake by  Stephen Graham JonesAnnihilation by Jeff VandermeerStranger ThingsCocaine BearMickey 17OkjaRandom Number Generator Horror Podcast No. 9Nature Trail to HellMonsters, Heroes, and Others: Unpacking Power in Media and Politics through Race or SpeciesA.P.P.L.EAnimals in Politics, Law, and Ethics researches how we live in interspecies societies and polities.iROAR NetworkiROAR brings together podcasts that aim is to make the world a better place for animals. Georgia Institute of Technology School of Modern Language, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, School of Literature, Media, & CommunPollination Project The Pollination Project empowers volunteers across by providing the funding they need. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showThe Animal Turn is hosted and produced by Claudia Hirtenfelder and is part of the iROAR Network. Learn more on our website. Leave a Review on Podchaser Check out The Animal Turn Merch. Support us on Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, and Buzzsprout.