Paranormal America: ghosts, UFO’s, and the skeptics. 4219-SH0046
During this course, participants will discover various vernacular myths prevalent in American society. Through the lens of sociology, they will have the chance to get acquainted with concepts such as: materialism, skepticism, idealism, spiritism, spiritualism, and alternation. First, we will take a look at the phenomenon of secularization that has been transforming American society since the beginning of the 20th century. We will discuss topics such as scientism, which has replaced traditional religion and spirituality. Using the example of The Skeptics Society, we will also explore skepticism, which is associated with rationalism and non-naivety. Then, we will move to various paranormal vernacular myths that are widespread in popular culture: UFO sightings, alien abductions, and crop circles. We will learn the official government statements on this topic, and through the lens of phenomenology, we will try to remain open-minded while reading eyewitness reports. Moreover, in this course, we will study other ways in which Americans practice spirituality, like communication with the dead through Ouija boards, mediums, séances, and modern technology such as Spirit Boxes. We will rediscover the shamanism of Native American tribes and various associated myths that have emerged in modern American society, depicted in horror movies (for example, Pet Sematary), as well as other examples of Native American folklore, such as the myth of Bigfoot or Sasquatch. In this course, participants will have a chance to critically discuss the most popular conspiracy theories: Area 51, 9/11, and Freemasonry. Finally, we will try to answer the question: Are vernacular myths an emanation of the natural human need for spirituality in the face of increasing secularization, or perhaps something else?
We will get acquainted with the following topics:
- Native American folklore – Big Foot/Sasquatch and other mythical creatures, shamanism
- Modern secularization: enlightenment, materialism, scientism, technological society
- Idealism and spiritism – on the example of 19th century Victorian Era seances
- Haunted houses, ghost stories, Ouija boards, paranormal investigators, TV shows, Spirit Boxes and contemporary American horror movies
- The UFO’s and alien abductions – stories, conspiracies about the NASA, spaceships, crop circles
- Conspiracy theories and their popularity. Area 51, Zeitgeist and the 9/11
- When science meets conspiracy: The Sceptics Society and the Flat Earth Society
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge:
• The student possesses general knowledge about American vernacular myths.
• The student has in-depth knowledge regarding specific issues within the fields of cultural studies and sociology, such as: secularization, spiritism, spiritualism, spirituality, modernism, skepticism, materialism.
• The student is aware of the processes (social and cultural) influencing the popularity of vernacular myths in American society.
Skills:
• The student can critically examine reports appearing in American media regarding UFOs, conspiracy theories, or paranormal phenomena and analyze them from a sociological perspective.
• The student can distinguish facts from eyewitness accounts. They can look at eyewitness accounts from a phenomenological perspective.
• The student can analyze media content by examining its discourse.
• The student can create a synthesis of knowledge from various sources and draw their own conclusions from the subject literature.
Competences:
• The course helps develop teamwork skills.
• The course develops the ability to discuss and critically analyze cultural texts.
• The course develops self-presentation and public speaking skills.
• The course develops academic writing skills.
• The course prepares students to look at American cultural products such as films, press materials, or internet forum posts from a critical perspective.
• The course allows for a different way of looking at one's own worldview and motivates reflection on issues of materialism and spirituality.
Assessment criteria
1. Presentation on a selected topic - 40%
2. Term paper – 30%
3. Active participation in class discussions – 30%
0-55% = 2
56-69% =3
70-83% =4
84-97%=5
98-100%=5!
Bibliography
(may be subject to change, update on Kampus)
Books:
Paranormal America (second edition) : Ghost Encounters, UFO Sightings, Bigfoot Hunts, and Other Curiosities in Religion and Culture / Christopher D. Bader, Joseph O. Baker, F. Carson Mencken. Bader, Christopher D., author. | Baker, Joseph O., author. | Mencken, F. Carson, author. 2017 | New York, NY : New York University Press
Empire of Conspiracy : The Culture of Paranoia in Postwar America / Timothy Melley. Melley, Timothy, author. 2016 | Ithaca, NY : Cornell University Press
Articles:
Martin, David. 2008. “Does the advance of science mean secularisation?” Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd, 61(1): 51–63. doi:10.1017/S0036930607003833
Zimmer, Troy A. 1985. “Belief in UFOs as alternative reality, cultural rejection or disturbed psyche”. Deviant Behavior, 6:4, 405-419, DOI: 10.1080/01639625.1985.9967687
Bartholomew, Robert E. 1991. “The quest for transcendence: An ethnography of UFO’s in America”. The Anthropology of Consciousness 2 (1-2).
Van Niekerk, b., 2018, ‘Religion and spirituality: What are the fundamental differences?’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies
74(3), 4933. https://doi.org/ 10.4102/hts.v74i3.4933
Collins, Paul and Nada K. Kakabadse. 2006. “Perils of religion: Need for spirituality in the public sphere”. Public Administration and Development 26, 109-121.
Bader, Chris D. 1995. “The UFO Contact Movement from the 1950s to the Present” Studies in Popular Culture, Vol. 17, No. 2 (April), pp. 73-90. URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23413704
Geppert, Alexander C.T. 2012. “Extraterrestrial encounters: UFOs, science and the quest for transcendence, 1947–1972”. History and Technology: An International Journal, 28:3, 335-362
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: