Efram Sera-Shriar
@dreframss.bsky.social
Historian of occultism and science, Victorianist, anthropologist, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, and bass player. Lover of classic videogames. 🎮 Views own. (https://www.eframserashriar.com)
Pinned
Efram Sera-Shriar
@dreframss.bsky.social
· Aug 21
It is my great pleasure to share the cover for my new book **PSYCHIC INVESTIGATORS** which was published in June 2022 with the University of Pittsburgh Press.
More details here: https://upittpress.org/books/9780822947073/
More details here: https://upittpress.org/books/9780822947073/
HORROR FANS WANTED!
My friend and colleague Mathias Clasen desperately needs horror fans to help with his new study. The survey below doesn't take long to complete, and your participation is appreciated by him and his collaborators.
Details 👇
app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/brighton/i...
My friend and colleague Mathias Clasen desperately needs horror fans to help with his new study. The survey below doesn't take long to complete, and your participation is appreciated by him and his collaborators.
Details 👇
app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/brighton/i...
Identifying the Relationship between personal concerns and enjoyment of horror films (Denmark)
Online surveys is a powerful, easy to use tool for creating online surveys. Run by Jisc, online surveys is used by over 300 different organisations in the UK...
app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk
November 12, 2025 at 9:56 AM
HORROR FANS WANTED!
My friend and colleague Mathias Clasen desperately needs horror fans to help with his new study. The survey below doesn't take long to complete, and your participation is appreciated by him and his collaborators.
Details 👇
app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/brighton/i...
My friend and colleague Mathias Clasen desperately needs horror fans to help with his new study. The survey below doesn't take long to complete, and your participation is appreciated by him and his collaborators.
Details 👇
app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/brighton/i...
I'm spending the day writing about "The Slade Number" from the Medium and Daybreak from October 1876. The entire issue was devoted to a defence of Henry Slade who had recently been exposed by E Ray Lankester as a fake during a seance. At least that's the story according to Lankester.
November 12, 2025 at 9:14 AM
I'm spending the day writing about "The Slade Number" from the Medium and Daybreak from October 1876. The entire issue was devoted to a defence of Henry Slade who had recently been exposed by E Ray Lankester as a fake during a seance. At least that's the story according to Lankester.
ONLINE EVENT: On Tuesday 18 Nov at 2PM (GMT) I will be co-presenting a set of papers about our special issue 'Transnational Studies of 19th-Century Japanese and British Science' with Bernie Lightman and Yoshi Kukuchi for the @royalsociety.org seminar series.
Details 👇
cassyni.com/events/RGh39...
Details 👇
cassyni.com/events/RGh39...
Cassyni | Science starts with a seminar
Seamlessly organise, run and publish academic research seminars. Get started in minutes.
cassyni.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:59 AM
ONLINE EVENT: On Tuesday 18 Nov at 2PM (GMT) I will be co-presenting a set of papers about our special issue 'Transnational Studies of 19th-Century Japanese and British Science' with Bernie Lightman and Yoshi Kukuchi for the @royalsociety.org seminar series.
Details 👇
cassyni.com/events/RGh39...
Details 👇
cassyni.com/events/RGh39...
I've just been informed by the producers that the episode has already had a whopping 17 thousand listens in 5 days. 🤯
I did another interview, this time for "Tumble Science Podcast for Kids". Basically, kids ask questions to experts. My question from 6yo Lily was: Are ghosts real?
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
November 5, 2025 at 7:58 AM
I've just been informed by the producers that the episode has already had a whopping 17 thousand listens in 5 days. 🤯
Two years ago, @upittpress.bsky.social first shared with Bernie and me a mock-up of the cover for our collection, "Victorian Interdisciplinarity and the Sciences." I still love the design, which was originally suggested by @kingtekkers.bsky.social
Visit the website👇
upittpress.org/books/978082...
Visit the website👇
upittpress.org/books/978082...
November 4, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Two years ago, @upittpress.bsky.social first shared with Bernie and me a mock-up of the cover for our collection, "Victorian Interdisciplinarity and the Sciences." I still love the design, which was originally suggested by @kingtekkers.bsky.social
Visit the website👇
upittpress.org/books/978082...
Visit the website👇
upittpress.org/books/978082...
I did another interview, this time for "Tumble Science Podcast for Kids". Basically, kids ask questions to experts. My question from 6yo Lily was: Are ghosts real?
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
November 3, 2025 at 8:21 AM
I did another interview, this time for "Tumble Science Podcast for Kids". Basically, kids ask questions to experts. My question from 6yo Lily was: Are ghosts real?
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
Listen here: www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/single-post/...
The producers also made this hilarious picture of me for the episode.
I've just learned that my university will pay the open access fees for one of two articles that I have forthcoming. That's great news, and I am happy my university even has this scheme. However, it is still a bummer that my article on haunted houses in video games was not awarded the money...
patrick star from spongebob squarepants is holding a green flag and a yellow finger
ALT: patrick star from spongebob squarepants is holding a green flag and a yellow finger
media.tenor.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:27 PM
I've just learned that my university will pay the open access fees for one of two articles that I have forthcoming. That's great news, and I am happy my university even has this scheme. However, it is still a bummer that my article on haunted houses in video games was not awarded the money...
Fellow Victorianists - are any of you interested in potentially writing some short Forum-length pieces (2-3K) on adapting Victorians/Victorian Worlds to videogames? Get in touch if you are.
a man wearing a top hat and a coat is standing in front of a staircase .
ALT: a man wearing a top hat and a coat is standing in front of a staircase .
media.tenor.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Fellow Victorianists - are any of you interested in potentially writing some short Forum-length pieces (2-3K) on adapting Victorians/Victorian Worlds to videogames? Get in touch if you are.
Reposted by Efram Sera-Shriar
We're delighted to announce the CFP for our #PHRC26 annual conference on "Photography's Tacit Knowledge". As in the past few years, it'll be a hybrid conference, online and in Leicester, o 15-16 June. Send your abstracts by 9 January! photographichistory.wordpress.com/annual-confe... #photohist
Annual Conference 2026
Photography’s Tacit Knowledge Image: A reproduction photographer at work. 1934 (Deutsche Fotothek). Photographic History Research Centre, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK When: 15-16 June 2026…
photographichistory.wordpress.com
October 24, 2025 at 10:20 AM
We're delighted to announce the CFP for our #PHRC26 annual conference on "Photography's Tacit Knowledge". As in the past few years, it'll be a hybrid conference, online and in Leicester, o 15-16 June. Send your abstracts by 9 January! photographichistory.wordpress.com/annual-confe... #photohist
I had a blast presenting my paper on Ghosts n Goblins for @gothicauob.bsky.social. Thanks to @katrinajan.bsky.social and @dremilyvincent.bsky.social for the invitation. The audience was also super lovely.
a video game screen says congratulations this story is happy end thank you
ALT: a video game screen says congratulations this story is happy end thank you
media.tenor.com
October 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I had a blast presenting my paper on Ghosts n Goblins for @gothicauob.bsky.social. Thanks to @katrinajan.bsky.social and @dremilyvincent.bsky.social for the invitation. The audience was also super lovely.
I've done a little casual gaming this morning, playing some Ghosts n Goblins ahead of my talk this evening as part of @gothicauob.bsky.social's seminar series. It really is one of the toughest games ever made. Yeesh!
a screenshot of a video game shows a skeleton with a red cape and a top score of 35000
ALT: a screenshot of a video game shows a skeleton with a red cape and a top score of 35000
media.tenor.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:28 AM
I've done a little casual gaming this morning, playing some Ghosts n Goblins ahead of my talk this evening as part of @gothicauob.bsky.social's seminar series. It really is one of the toughest games ever made. Yeesh!
Tomorrow! I hope you can join the fun.
It's officially spooky szn! 👻
We're back 😈
🎮 Video Game Gothic
🗣 Dr Efram Sera-Shriar
📆 Thurs 23rd Oct
🕔 5pm (BST)
📍Zoom
Efram is an Associate Professor at University of Copenhagen. He is currently working on representations of occulture in video games from late 70s & and mid-90s.
DM to join 👾
We're back 😈
🎮 Video Game Gothic
🗣 Dr Efram Sera-Shriar
📆 Thurs 23rd Oct
🕔 5pm (BST)
📍Zoom
Efram is an Associate Professor at University of Copenhagen. He is currently working on representations of occulture in video games from late 70s & and mid-90s.
DM to join 👾
October 22, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Tomorrow! I hope you can join the fun.
Reposted by Efram Sera-Shriar
The CFP for the @officialbaas.bsky.social Annual Conference is now live! Join us at the @uofglasgow.bsky.social in April 2026 to mark the 250-year anniversary of 1776, with amazing keynote speakers already lined up!
Deadline: Friday 28th November 2025
baas.ac.uk/conferences/...
Deadline: Friday 28th November 2025
baas.ac.uk/conferences/...
BAAS 2026 - University of Glasgow 9-11 April 2026 - British Association for American Studies
BAAS Annual Conference 2026 Call for Papers The College of Arts & Humanities and Andrew Hook Centre for American Studies at the University of Glasgow are delighted to invite submissions for the 71st a...
baas.ac.uk
October 20, 2025 at 9:03 AM
The CFP for the @officialbaas.bsky.social Annual Conference is now live! Join us at the @uofglasgow.bsky.social in April 2026 to mark the 250-year anniversary of 1776, with amazing keynote speakers already lined up!
Deadline: Friday 28th November 2025
baas.ac.uk/conferences/...
Deadline: Friday 28th November 2025
baas.ac.uk/conferences/...
The Blue Jays are going back to the World Series for the first time in 32 years. What a moment! Now the biggest challenge yet, defeating the Dodgers.
October 21, 2025 at 8:38 AM
The Blue Jays are going back to the World Series for the first time in 32 years. What a moment! Now the biggest challenge yet, defeating the Dodgers.
Reposted by Efram Sera-Shriar
A great job, application due November 17th. Please spread and help me with the right hashtags
Assistant Professor Social Studies of Medicine
This is a joint post 65% Sociology, 35% HPS. The Departments of Sociology and History and Philosophy of Science are looking to recruit an Assistant Professor in the Social Studies of Medicine in a
www.cam.ac.uk
October 20, 2025 at 7:50 AM
A great job, application due November 17th. Please spread and help me with the right hashtags
Reposted by Efram Sera-Shriar
Less than a week to go until our Halloween special with @dreframss.bsky.social 👻
🎮Video Game Gothic
📆Thurs 23rd Oct
🕔5pm (BST)
📍Zoom
📚Reading: uobgothica.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/s...
🕹️Try out an exciting game emulator for Ghosts n Goblins here: www.retrogames.cc/arcade-games...
DM to join!
🎮Video Game Gothic
📆Thurs 23rd Oct
🕔5pm (BST)
📍Zoom
📚Reading: uobgothica.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/s...
🕹️Try out an exciting game emulator for Ghosts n Goblins here: www.retrogames.cc/arcade-games...
DM to join!
Session Thirty Seven: Video Game Gothic
We are especially excited to announce that our first Gothica session of the 2025/26 academic year will be Video Game Gothic with our special guest speaker Dr Efram Sera-Shriar on Zoom on Thursday 2…
uobgothica.wordpress.com
October 17, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Less than a week to go until our Halloween special with @dreframss.bsky.social 👻
🎮Video Game Gothic
📆Thurs 23rd Oct
🕔5pm (BST)
📍Zoom
📚Reading: uobgothica.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/s...
🕹️Try out an exciting game emulator for Ghosts n Goblins here: www.retrogames.cc/arcade-games...
DM to join!
🎮Video Game Gothic
📆Thurs 23rd Oct
🕔5pm (BST)
📍Zoom
📚Reading: uobgothica.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/s...
🕹️Try out an exciting game emulator for Ghosts n Goblins here: www.retrogames.cc/arcade-games...
DM to join!
Humbuggery, that's a fun word that I should use more in my writing.
October 15, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Humbuggery, that's a fun word that I should use more in my writing.
This review has really turned me off from seeing del Toro's Frankenstein. I'm sure the film will be good, but man, the review ... 🤢
www.ign.com/articles/gui...
www.ign.com/articles/gui...
Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein Review - IGN
Review: Guillermo del Toro’s Netflix film Frankenstein, starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Mia Goth, is a crowning achievement for the beloved genre director and one of the most effective adaptat...
www.ign.com
October 14, 2025 at 7:41 AM
This review has really turned me off from seeing del Toro's Frankenstein. I'm sure the film will be good, but man, the review ... 🤢
www.ign.com/articles/gui...
www.ign.com/articles/gui...
This almost sounds like the storyline of a Lovecraftian tale. What these workers ultimately set into motion is the awakening of Cthulhu...
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
Creatures buried in soil for over a century burst back to life in Toronto waterfront
A project to restore coastal wetland leads to astonishing discoveries of a host of life: seeds and plant scraps, as well as water fleas, worms, larvae and plankton
www.theguardian.com
October 10, 2025 at 8:25 AM
This almost sounds like the storyline of a Lovecraftian tale. What these workers ultimately set into motion is the awakening of Cthulhu...
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
This headline is deeply misleading. Not least, we have a funded-research group devoted to horror studies at the University of Copenhagen, and there are similar groups all over Europe and North America. Some are even called centres. Why misrepresent what is otherwise good news for the field?
A litel bit of goode newes for the humanityes
www.wesa.fm/arts-culture...
www.wesa.fm/arts-culture...
University of Pittsburgh launches world's first center to study horror genre
The University of Pittsburgh is doubling down on its longstanding commitment to studying the horror genre with the launch of its new Horror Studies Center.
www.wesa.fm
October 9, 2025 at 7:55 AM
This headline is deeply misleading. Not least, we have a funded-research group devoted to horror studies at the University of Copenhagen, and there are similar groups all over Europe and North America. Some are even called centres. Why misrepresent what is otherwise good news for the field?
Next week, I'm doing an interview on horror games, moral panic and censorship. I've decided to talk about Atari's "Halloween" (1983). It was deemed too violent and realistic for young gamers, and might send impressionable minds down nefarious paths.
Try it here👇
www.retrogames.cz/play_1177-At...
Try it here👇
www.retrogames.cz/play_1177-At...
October 8, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Next week, I'm doing an interview on horror games, moral panic and censorship. I've decided to talk about Atari's "Halloween" (1983). It was deemed too violent and realistic for young gamers, and might send impressionable minds down nefarious paths.
Try it here👇
www.retrogames.cz/play_1177-At...
Try it here👇
www.retrogames.cz/play_1177-At...
I'm delighted to be delivering a talk on 23 Oct 2025 btwn 5–6.30pm (BST) for @gothicauob.bsky.social
My talk is titled: ‘Battling Satan in Your Underpants: Censoring Capcom’s Ghosts ‘n Goblins Videogame during the Age of American Satanic Panic’
Details 👇
uobgothica.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/s...
My talk is titled: ‘Battling Satan in Your Underpants: Censoring Capcom’s Ghosts ‘n Goblins Videogame during the Age of American Satanic Panic’
Details 👇
uobgothica.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/s...
Session Thirty Seven: Video Game Gothic
We are especially excited to announce that our first Gothica session of the 2025/26 academic year will be Video Game Gothic with our special guest speaker Dr Efram Sera-Shriar on Zoom on Thursday 2…
uobgothica.wordpress.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I'm delighted to be delivering a talk on 23 Oct 2025 btwn 5–6.30pm (BST) for @gothicauob.bsky.social
My talk is titled: ‘Battling Satan in Your Underpants: Censoring Capcom’s Ghosts ‘n Goblins Videogame during the Age of American Satanic Panic’
Details 👇
uobgothica.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/s...
My talk is titled: ‘Battling Satan in Your Underpants: Censoring Capcom’s Ghosts ‘n Goblins Videogame during the Age of American Satanic Panic’
Details 👇
uobgothica.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/s...