Dr. Cynthia Bandish, English and language department chair at Bluffton University, will present the Colloquium, “Coin Tricks: Economic Forces in Neil Gaiman’s Novels,” at 4 p.m. on Sept. 7 in Centennial Hall’s Stutzman Lecture Hall. 

Gaiman’s fantasy novels draw from fairy tales and mythologies “to create new stories of human interactions with other worldly beings,” said Bandish.

One core issue of discussion will focus on the novels “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” and “American Gods,” which ask questions about economic structures and capitalism when “magical money” is introduced into the economy. According to Bandish, these questions allow us to think of the novels not just as fantasy but also as “commentary on contemporary economics.”

In the Colloquium, Bandish will report on further research concerning Gaiman’s novels she completed during her sabbatical. Additionally, she will discuss her creation of an 1870 Victorian England simulation, an educational tool and project that grew out of her interest in mid-Victorian era shilling magazines. 

This event is free and open to the public.