Dr. Emily Zarka

Hi there! I'm Dr. Zarka (also known as Dr. Z). I'm a passionate scholar with an interest in decentering quality educational content from higher academia. How do I do that? With monsters of course! With a doctorate in Literature from Arizona State University, my expertise lies in monsters, the Gothic, and horror in literature, film, and folklore. I'm currently on the faculty of the English Department at Arizona State University teaching undergraduate and graduate classes in composition and literature, and serve as ASU's official "monster expert." But my scholarship does not stop there.

I'm the creator, write, and host of the popular YouTube series “Monstrum,” the flagship show on PBS’ Storied humanities channel. I've written and hosted a documentary, act as script editor and host of other YouTube educational series, wrote an Audible original, and appear in numerous documentaries for major streaming networks. I want to show learners across the globe how something as wild as monsters can really teach us about ourselves, our history, and our future as humans.