An indispensable resource, this book provides wide coverage on aliens in fiction and popular culture. The wide impact that the imagined alien has had upon Western culture has not been surveyed before; in many cases the essays in Aliens in Popular Culture are the first written on the topic. The book is a compendium of short entries on notable uses of aliens in popular culture across different media and platforms by almost 90 researchers in the field. It covers science fiction from the late nineteenth century into the twenty-first century, including books, films, television, comics, games, and even advertisements. Individual essays point to the ways in which the imagined alien can be seen as a reflection of different fears and tensions within society, above all in the Anglo-American world. The book additionally provides an overview for context and suggestions for further reading. All varieties of readers will find it to be a comprehensive reference about the extra-terrestrial in popular culture.

From religious beliefs and legends to movies and TV shows, from advertising and celebrities to Internet sites and photo ops, this illustrated A–Z encyclopedia makes it easy to locate each topic, and the opportunities for further research assure its timeliness. Is the human race the result of a breeding experiment carried out by ancient astronauts? Are satanists, extraterrestrials—or both—mutilating cattle? Whimsical and fascinating, UFOs and Popular Culture explores a rich facet of Americana and its impact on contemporary society. The UFO phenomenon is put into folkloric and psychological perspective, revealing much about our collective psyche. From religious beliefs and legends to movies and TV shows; from advertising and celebrities to Internet sites and photo ops; this illustrated A–Z encyclopedia is your first stop resource for understanding UFO beliefs and their impact on contemporary America. Topics explored include Music and UFOs, Naked Aliens, Reincarnation, Roswell, Brad Steiger, Heaven's Gate, War of the Worlds, and UFO Conventions.

For centuries, people have wondered about life on other planets but most aliens did not start showing up in literature and other forms of pop culture until the late 19th century. Since then, aliens have become familiar characters in books, films and video games. Given their overwhelming popularity, visitors from other worlds are sure to be featured in pop culture for many years to come.

"Do Aliens Exist?" takes readers on an intriguing journey into the vast cosmos and the captivating question of extraterrestrial life. From the historical context of beliefs in aliens to the cutting-edge technology used in the search, this book delves into the scientific, philosophical, and societal implications of finding life beyond Earth. Exploring UFO sightings, alleged encounters, and the mysteries of the universe, it examines the evidence, debunks myths, and speculates on the future of our understanding. With a balanced approach and engaging narrative, this book invites readers to ponder humanity's place in the universe and the possibility of contact with intelligent beings from distant worlds.

Following on from Part 1, which was highly acclaimed by the space community, this peer-viewed book provides detailed insights into how space and popular culture intersect across a broad spectrum of areas, including cinema, music, art, arcade games, cartoons, comics, and advertisements. This is a pertinent topic since the use of space themes differs in different cultural contexts, and these themes can be used to explore various aspects of the human condition and provide a context for social commentary on politically sensitive issues. With the use of space imagery evolving over the past sixty years of the space age, this topic is ripe for in-depth exploration. Covering a wide array of relevant and timely topics, the book examines the intersections between space and popular culture, and offers accounts of space and its effect on culture, language, and storytelling from the southern regions of the world.

In the vast tapestry of the cosmos, where stars twinkle like distant promises and galaxies swirl in the depths of space, humanity has always felt an irresistible pull towards the unknown. It is this innate curiosity, the yearning to explore, and the desire to fathom the mysteries that lie beyond our world, that have led us to embark on a cosmic odyssey—one that spans the pages of this book. The topics we delve into within these chapters are nothing short of captivating. UFOs, those enigmatic unidentified flying objects that have teased our imagination for decades, beckon us to decipher their secrets. The quest for extraterrestrial life, a search that transcends our earthly boundaries, fuels our imagination and scientific pursuit. We navigate the confluence of science, exploration, and the uncharted realms of the universe. As we journey through these pages, we traverse not only the physical cosmos but also the corridors of human imagination and intellect. We grapple with the questions that have tantalized philosophers, scientists, and dreamers for centuries: Are we alone in the universe? What lies beyond the stars? Can we unlock the secrets of other worlds? These are inquiries that drive us forward, forging a path toward greater understanding. This book serves as a portal to the wonders and enigmas of the cosmos. It is a testament to our enduring fascination with the celestial realm and our relentless pursuit of knowledge. We explore the rich tapestry of human endeavors to unravel the mysteries of the universe—endeavors that span from the hushed investigations of UFO sightings to the meticulous search for microbial life on distant planets. But this book is not just a journey into the cosmos; it is also a journey into the human spirit. It celebrates our boundless curiosity, our unwavering determination, and our ceaseless quest for truth. It underscores the idea that, as we gaze at the stars, we are not just contemplating the cosmos but also contemplating ourselves and our place in the grand tapestry of existence. As we embark on this cosmic odyssey together, I invite you to open your mind and heart to the wonders that lie beyond. The pages ahead are filled with the echoes of human curiosity, the stories of scientific exploration, and the mysteries of the cosmos. They are a testament to our endless pursuit of knowledge and our unquenchable thirst for discovery. So, fasten your seatbelt, for we are about to embark on a journey that transcends the boundaries of our world—a journey that takes us to the stars, to the edges of the universe, and to the very limits of human understanding. Welcome to the cosmic odyssey, where every page is a step into the unknown. Let the journey begin.

Describes witnesses' accounts of alleged alien spacecraft sightings and abductions; explains the accounts using historical examples of strange sightings; and details extraterrestrial references in art, literature, and the media.

This book is an enthusiastic celebration of the ways in which popular culture has consumed aspects of the ancient Near East to construct new realities. The editors have brought together an impressive line-up of scholars-archaeologists, philologists, historians, and art historians-to reflect on how objects, ideas, and interpretations of the ancient Near East have been remembered, constructed, reimagined, mythologized, or indeed forgotten within our shared cultural memories. The exploration of cultural memories has revealed how they inform the values, structures, and daily life of societies over time. This is therefore not a collection of essays about the deep past but rather about the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.

“Analyzes how ideas about economics and political philosophy find their way into everything from Star Trek to Malcolm in the Middle.” —Wall Street Journal Popular culture often champions freedom as the fundamentally American way of life and celebrates the virtues of independence and self-reliance. But film and television have also explored the tension between freedom and other core values, such as order and political stability. What may look like healthy, productive, and creative freedom from one point of view may look like chaos, anarchy, and a source of destructive conflict from another. Film and television continually pose the question: Can Americans deal with their problems on their own, or must they rely on political elites to manage their lives? In this groundbreaking work, Paul A. Cantor—whose previous book, Gilligan Unbound, was named one of the best nonfiction books of the year by the Los Angeles Times—explores the ways in which television shows such as Star Trek, The X-Files, South Park, and Deadwood and films such as The Aviator and Mars Attacks! have portrayed both top-down and bottom-up models of order. Drawing on the works of John Locke, Adam Smith, Alexis de Tocqueville, and other proponents of freedom, Cantor contrasts the classical liberal vision of America?particularly its emphasis on the virtues of spontaneous order?with the Marxist understanding of the “culture industry” and the Hobbesian model of absolute state control. The Invisible Hand in Popular Culture concludes with a discussion of the impact of 9/11 on film and television, and the new anxieties emerging in contemporary alien-invasion narratives: the fear of a global technocracy that seeks to destroy the nuclear family, religious faith, local government, and other traditional bulwarks against the absolute state.

The Handbook of UFO Religions, edited by scholar of new religions Benjamin E. Zeller, offers the most expansive and detailed study of the persistent, popular, and global phenomenon of religious engagements with ideas about extraterrestrial life.