UFO encounters; ghosts; visions of Jesus. How should scholars deal with anomalous, un-documentable, strange events? In the past hundred years the dictates of empirical naturalism have prodded scholars of the humanities to tiptoe around these things, either translating them into other languages (people see strange things because they are poor or uneducated or pathological in some way) or to simply hide behind phenomenological language, engaging with the event's impact rather than its veracity. But perhaps there are other ways to talk about such things.
Please join us for lunch and a discussion with Professor Matthew Bowman (Claremont Graduate University) about Betty and Barney Hill, the first Americans to claim to be abducted by aliens, and the event's connections to the breakdown of American society in the 1960s. In his work, Bowman examines the Hills’ story not only as a foundational piece of UFO folklore but also as a microcosm of 1960s America. The Hills, an interracial couple who lived in New Hampshire, were civil rights activists, supporters of liberal politics, and Unitarians. But when their story of abduction was repeatedly ignored or discounted by authorities, they lost faith in the scientific establishment, the American government, and the success of the civil rights movement.
During this talk, Bowman will be discussing his latest work on the topic, and how scholars deal (and could deal!) with such strange events like abductions in academic works. After the presentation, we will have time for a casual Q&A and discussion on how to best treat the testimonies, experiences, and sources of such events.
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