Iyad Malouf is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Tel Aviv University School of Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature; his PhD project won him a Minerva doctoral scholarship at Freie Universität Berlin. His dissertation explores the concept of 'monster' as a trope for otherness and cultural rejection.

Iyad Malouf holds an MA in English Literature of the University of Haifa, and has taught numerous courses both in Israel and abroad.

Monsters Among Us: A Cross-Cultural Philological Study of Othering
Abstract: This research investigates the evolving representations of monsters as metaphors for abject otherness in Western Christian and Eastern Muslim cultures. By analyzing literature, cartography, and visual art from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, it examines how these depictions reflect changing perceptions of the “Other.” Focusing on pivotal historical junctures, the study traces the transformation of the monster trope in response to shifts in religious, political, and cultural contexts. Employing a philological and longue durée approach, it reveals how monsters, as constructs of identity and otherness, have shaped cultural narratives in both traditions. This cross-cultural comparison not only contributes to the evolving field of Monster Studies but also deepens our understanding of the dynamics of cultural othering and identity formation.
Keywords: monsters, marvels, othering, medieval studies, Islamic studies, cultural interaction, philology, longue durée, literary analysis, visual representations.