Paranormal Folklore in Western Georgia: A Critical Narrative Analysis of Apparitions
Jacob W. Glazier, David S. B. Mitchell, Zachary Wipff, Noah Cochran
Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1111/anoc.70005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Apparitional accounts collected in Western Georgia, United States |
| Key findings | Analyzing apparitional accounts from Western Georgia yields four dominant discourses that narrators counter in five ways: extending consciousness across space and time, lucid perceptual experience, anomalous phenomena, adjudication to story and hearsay, and consensual or repeated verification. The authors argue these countermoves warrant further critical research on exceptional experiences. |
Abstract
ABSTRACTWe use Critical Narrative Analysis (CNA) to examine collected apparitional accounts within the geographic region of Western Georgia in the United States. We discuss the extant local folklore on ghosts in the literature while providing a methodological backdrop. The analysis of the data yields four dominant discourses, which are countered in five salient ways: through (1) the extension of consciousness across space and time, (2) lucid perceptual experience, (3) the presence of anomalous phenomena, (4) adjudication to story and hearsay, and (5) consensual or repeated verification. We discuss the implications of these countermoves and recommend further critical research on exceptional experiences.
Citations in the library
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