Dr Who?? : UFO PhD dissertations - free online

Sterling stuff again Isaac. (Even the Dr. Who mention).

I really didn't know this information was out there in such volume.

Any particular recommended reading from this mass of information?

originally posted by: mirageman
Any particular recommended reading from this mass of information?

Sure, but it really depends upon your interests.

I think that the two PhD dissertations that are most likely to be interesting and useful to people with a general interest in ufology and its history (particularly government involvement in investigations of UFO reports) are:

(1) David Jacobs' PhD, giving an overview history of the UFO controvery in America (only up to 1973, but that covers most of the cases and material that are still commonly discussed):
www.abovetopsecret.com...

(2) Herb Strentz's 1970 PhD:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: IsaacKoi

I particularly like the history of the subject so David Jacobs' dissertation sounds like a good place to start.

Thank you.

Wow thanks

Lots of information to devourer here

nice! Thanks

a reply to: Verum1quaere
*snip*

Your post was already debunked in the other thread you posted it in. BTW multi-posting the same stuff in multiple threads is frowned on as spam.

originally posted by: IsaacKoi

Section E: UFO PhD dissertations - author to be located

I've also collated a list of further relevant PhD dissertations (some of which I've obtained, some of which I'm awaiting from a colleague in the USA) where I need to locate contact details for the author and ask if they have any plans to upload their dissertation or are willing to give their permission for me to upload a searchable PDF copy of their dissertation to a free file storage website (such as box.com or minus.com).

I've spent a spare few minutes looking for the contact details of a couple of the authors I listed in Section E above and fired off a couple more requests for permission to upload relevant PhD dissertations. Just to avoid duplication of effort, the ones I found today doing a few Google searches were:

1984 PhD, Peter Michael Rojcewicz, The Boundaries of Orthodoxy: A Folkloric Look at the “UFO Phenomenon” – University of Pennsylvania
(Copy obtained)

I think this is him. I've sent an email today.
www.antiochseattle.edu...

1986 PhD, June Parnell, Personality Characteristics on the MMPI, 16PF, and ACL of Persons Who Claim UFO Experiences, University of Wyoming
(Copy obtained)

I think this is someone with a rather inactive Facebook page at the link below. I've sent a Facebook message.
www.facebook.com...

a reply to: IsaacKoi

Thank you, excellent work and very, very much appreciated. S+F and kudos.

Well Done!

Your thread is a wonderful endeavor, and such a fine example for the community to extrapolate from.

Very well done.

If ufology was always this well presented, it'd be much better for it.

Nicely done.

You have created an excellent resource here. Thank you.
Have you had any luck in obtaining any of the further dissertations you referred to as potentially to be made available?

originally posted by: solon800bc
You have created an excellent resource here. Thank you.
Have you had any luck in obtaining any of the further dissertations you referred to as potentially to be made available?

Mmm. A few people (mainly in academic posts) sent brief encouraging responses, promising to get back to when they were less busy (e.g. after exam period finished).

Now that it's the summer holiday, I'll try them again and see if they have a bit more time.

originally posted by: IsaacKoi

Section C: UFO PhD dissertations - currently free online

Another PhD dissertation regarding UFOs is online at the link below:

"OCCAM’S BEARD: BELIEF, DISBELIEF, AND CONTESTED MEANINGS IN AMERICAN UFOLOGY" by William J Dewan (2010):
digitalrepository.unm.edu...

It begins with an introduction which states:

The purpose of this dissertation is to critically examine the emergence, maintenance,
evolution, and dissemination of belief traditions in New Mexico and the United States that
are most commonly associated with the UFO phenomenon. This critical analysis
incorporates theoretical frameworks from a multitude of interrelated disciplines, including
folklore, history, anthropology, popular culture studies, sociology, and psychology. The
primary goal of this dissertation involves the attempt to formulate a typology of UFO
accounts in American culture, and how said accounts are interpreted, communicated, and
publicly evaluated.

Good day! Thank you for the information.