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Halloween comes this week and, at least for a few hours, the fake zombies and ghouls will be a respite from our real-life world that can seem ever more frightening with each passing day.
These are just a few of my favourite smart and entertaining Halloween-themed reads from across The Conversation global network. (And a really scary one about bugs that bite!)
Have a great weekend and we'll be back in your Inbox on Monday.
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Halloween Weekend Reads
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Simon Kelly, University of Huddersfield; Kathleen Riach, Monash University
Halloween walks a thin line between entertainment and offence - so how can we engage with it ethically?
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Philip S. S. Howard, McGill University
Many claim the offensive part about blackface is from a long time ago and claim blackface costumes, especially at Halloween, are innocent fun. What could be the harm?
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Linus Owens, Middlebury College
The holiday used to be all about trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. No more – and it could something to do with the fact that traditional markers of adulthood have changed.
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Emma Quilty, University of Newcastle
The new Sabrina joins a host of other witches in pop culture, a witch revival that reflects more radical feminist politics.
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Meghan Henning, University of Dayton
Hell-themed Halloween attractions play on people's fears. The early depictions of hell were meant to use fear as a moral guide to help others.
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Margee Kerr, University of Pittsburgh
Visiting a haunted house or watching a horror movie can be terrifying and enjoyable at the same time. A sociologist explains the psychological benefits of being safely scared.
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Dilip Soman, University of Toronto
The way children make choices about candy on Halloween tells us a lot about human psychology.
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Katie M. Clow, University of Guelph
Fall is peak activity time for adult blacklegged ticks, increasing the risk of tick bites on both people and pets.
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