Course description
This eight-week course explores how the conversation about unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) is informed by the culture and history of both the topic itself and the people engaging with it. It asks students to consider not just what UAP are and what they can do, but the ways in which people discuss, conceptualize and know the phenomena.
The phenomena gathered under the acronym UAP (“UFOs,” “USOs,” “ghosts,” “spirits,” “visitors,” “extraterrestrials,” “foo fighters,” “faeries,” “angels” and more) appear to have been with humankind from the very start. The meaning assigned to them, however, is far from universal. In some cultural contexts it is an open question fraught with worry, secrecy and even alarm; in others it is entirely settled.
The course explores the cultural dimensions of UAP, including Indigenous knowledge of what we call UAP and the ways the discussion around UAP and space exploration can mirror the ideals of settler colonialism. It also covers the emerging academic study of UAP, how our fascination with the unknown can push science forward, the politics of knowledge creation, and what UAP may mean for the future of humanity.
The course consists of weekly readings and seminar discussions. Classes meet live each week, with the readings framing the discussion; the readings are drawn from sociocultural anthropology. Whatever your time zone or schedule, you are encouraged to enroll: every session is recorded and made available to students, generally within two to three days.
