Revenants reimagined: The persistence of Balkan vampire lore in contemporary digital contexts

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of Balkan vampire folklore, particularly revenant figures such as the “strigoi” and “vampire” within contemporary digital environments. Based on immersive fieldwork in Romania and Serbia, the study explores how myths that once served as communal tools for processing grief, fear, and survival are now mediated through memes, movie tropes, and algorithmic fragments. Drawing on Jungian archetypes, digital folklore theory, and public history frameworks, the research traces the tension between cultural preservation and commodification. While online platforms offer new avenues for storytelling, they risk flattening the emotional depth and communal voice of traditional myth. This study argues for a more intentional engagement with folklore in the digital age, one that honors ancestral narratives while recognizing their evolving role in shaping identity, memory, and intergenerational transmission.