Conclusion

The conclusion examines subsequent references to the zombie in global narratives, beginning with the narratives that emerged from Haiti following the 2010 earthquake in which the zombie was transformed into a symbol of trauma. From it considers representations from writers and filmmakers from outside Haiti, visions that may initially seem to offer more accurate and nuanced representations of the zombie and Vodou, but which upon further exploration simply exemplify the new ways the Global North undermines Haiti’s economic and political sovereignty. Yet works from Guadeloupe and Senegal demonstrate the zombie legend’s continued and renewed use as a critique of similar forms of neocolonialism outside Haiti, ultimately showing that the zombie figure represents not merely the vibrancy of Caribbean culture, but also the ability of writers and artists to push against reductive narratives of the region, imagining “new narratives” and new futures.