The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFOs [Paperback]

Brenda Denzler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520239059 | ISBN-13: 978-0520239050 | Publication Date: June 2, 2003 | Edition: 1

UFO phenomena entered American consciousness at the beginning of the Cold War, when reports from astonished witnesses of encounters with unknown aerial objects captured the attention of the United States military and the imagination of the press and the public. But when UFOs appeared not to be hostile, and when some scientists pronounced the sightings to be of natural meteorological phenomena misidentified due to "Cold War jitters," military interest declined sharply and, with it, further overt scientific interest.
Yet sighting reports didn't stop and UFOs entered the public imagination as a cultural myth of the twentieth century. Brenda Denzler's comprehensive, clearly written, and compelling narrative provides the first sustained overview and valuation of the UFO/alien abduction movement as a social phenomenon positioned between scientific and religious perspectives. Demonstrating the unique place ufology occupies in the twentieth-century nexus between science and religion, Denzler surveys the sociological contours of its community, assesses its persistent attempt to achieve scientific legitimacy, and concludes with an examination of the movement's metaphysical or spiritual outlook. Her book is a substantial contribution to our understanding of American popular culture and the boundaries of American religion and to the debate about the nature of science and religion.
Denzler presents a thorough and fascinating history of the UFO/abduction movement and traces the tensions between those who are deeply ambivalent about abduction narratives that seemingly erode their quest for scientific credibility, and the growing cultural power of those who claim to have been abducted. She locates the phenomenon within the context of American religious history and, using data gathered in surveys, sheds new light on the social profile of these UFO communities. The Lure of the Edge succeeds brilliantly in repositioning a cultural phenomenon considered by many to be bizarre and marginal into a central debate about the nature of science, technology, and the production of a modern myth.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sociologist Denzler presents a deeply researched history of "ufology" (the study and interpretation of UFO phenomena), illuminating what has become a significant American subculture. From the flying saucer sightings of the postwar years to the alien abduction boom of the 1990s, interest in UFOs has persisted despite official discouragement from government, scientific and religious authorities. Denzler takes a special interest in ufology's uneasy relationship with both science and religion, noting that although UFO phenomena seem to invite scientific and/or religious explanation, their anomalous and sometimes bizarre nature has excluded them from the mainstream. In the meantime, communities of ufologists and experiencers have gone their own way, some pursuing scientific rigor despite being dismissed as pseudoscientists, others promoting their own religious interpretations reflecting both Christian and New Age themes. Drawing on her experiences as a participant-observer in ufological groups and conventions, Denzler renders a sympathetic portrait of the UFO subculture without directly identifying with it, and reveals intramural tensions that other commentators have missed. Because Denzler focuses on the UFO community, broader social attitudes about UFOs are only a secondary interest: ufological subject matter in pop culture is virtually ignored. The book's academic style and copious citations make for a dense read at times, and the professionally impartial tone may not appeal to committed UFO believers or debunkers. But readers looking for skillful reportage and deft theorizing about "the UFO myth" (a term Denzler uses non-pejoratively), or a starting point for further academic research, should find it worthwhile.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A deeply researched history of 'ufology.'"--Publishers Weekly -- Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 313 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (June 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520239059
• ISBN-13: 978-0520239050
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,226,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Little Book, March 14, 2002

By 

Albert A. Harrison "aaharrison" (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFO's (Hardcover)

Although we hear reference to the UFO "controversy" or "debate", the situation more closely approximates an overall donnybrook, a sort of philosophical Star Wars over the relative roles that science, religion, and popular culture should play in defining our place in the Universe. Loosely aggregated camps of "believers" and "skeptics" wage a multifaceted battle on many fronts, and as in the case of a shooting war it is all but impossible for combatants to relate to the perspective of their opponents. The issue is not likely to be resolved soon. Like fifteenth century armies engaged in the Hundred Years War each side has enough resources to keep the fight going, but neither side has enough of an advantage to score a decisive victory. Despite the murky blend of reality and fantasy, the hodgepodge of ramshackle philosophical frameworks, the outrageous examples of gullibility and hermetically sealed minds, the overall fray may have some positive results. It allows people with many different perspectives to engage in dialogues that touch upon great existential issues: who we are, where we came from, our future beyond Earth, and intelligent life other than our own. Tomorrow's historians may interpret the chaotic mixture of materialism, spiritualism, empiricism and mysticism that at once entices and enrages so many people as just one small part of the intellectual effort and emotional turmoil that accompanied our coming of age in the cosmos.

Brenda Denzler's "The Lure of the Edge" is a useful addition to the fray. This well organized and nicely written book is brief, and about a third of its pages are occupied by meticulous notes and a massive bibliography. Its brevity is deceptive. "The Lure of the Edge" invites slow, careful reading because it is richly textured, inspires contemplation and reverie, and offers numerous surprises. There is a certain amount of core material that is required to tell the UFO story, but Denzler's fresh examples, interesting details and steady pace should maintain the interest of many people who are already familiar with that story.

"The Lure of the Edge" contains five chapters, an "Afterword," and a substantial "Appendix." The first two chapters give cogent histories of UFO and alien abduction phenomena. The third chapter grapples with the ambiguous and ever-shifting line between fact and fiction, and explores ideas that are defined by the opposing groups as falling at either the "cutting edge" or the "fringe" of science. In the fourth and fifth chapters Denzler looks at the interplay between science and religion and how these play out in people's thinking about UFOs. Her strong background in sociology and her Ph.D. in religious studies give Denzler an easy and in-depth familiarity with mysticism, spiritualism, transcendent experiences and the like, and allow her to develop better than average discussions of ideas that run counter to the basic tenets of science and skepticism. This means she deserves high marks for her discussions of paranormal and New Age ideas. Denzler reminds us that when we consider the influences of science and religion on UFO and other beliefs we should move beyond "God talk" and consider the systematic thinking of high quality, university-affiliated theologians.

Denzler explores issues from multiple perspectives and generally succeeds in interpreting them within useful conceptual frameworks. She makes reference not only to the major UFOlogists such as Vallee, Keel, and Mack, but also skeptics including Shaeffer, Klass, Condon, and especially Menzel. She does her best to be even-handed and fair. Still, it is impossible for any author to walk an entirely straight line through such minefields, and when Denzler errs it is in a direction that would be favored by religious scholars such as Ian Barbour, Huston Smith and Ted Peters and faulted by thoughtful skeptics such as Paul Kurtz and Michael Shermer.

The Afterword presents her final thoughts on science, religion, and UFOs. Although described as an "Appendix" the final section of "The Lure of the Edge" is a unique contribution. Here we find Denzler's own empirical studies of UFO affinity groups. This original research is based on participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and responses to written questionnaires. Although there are some acknowledged methodological limitations, the results paint an interesting picture of the demographic characteristics of the members of such groups, and provide partial tests of certain theories that bear on UFO beliefs. And, her findings remind us that while some people expect science to give them answers about UFOs, other people would prefer such answers to result from a personal quest.

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars journalistic, lacking sociological insight, March 7, 2002

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFO's (Hardcover)

The book I was hoping this one was has yet to be written. Denzler doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know about why and how people believe in UFOs and aliens. Mainly what we have here is just compiling the history of reported sightings and abductions, as well as summaries of leading authors (Vallee, Keel). No analysis of the psychology or mass psychology of purported abductees. If you're a true believer, the book probably won't interest you, and if you're trying to understand the believers, it won't answer your questions.

I know from my own experience that the author hasn't begun to scratch the surface of the current types of UFO beliefs. Her index doesn't even include Pleiades! There are lots of New Age types out there who believe that benevolent aliens, the Pleiadeans, are trying to help humanity evolve to higher consciousness. There are umpteen versions of this idea featuring other star systems. There are hostile as well as helpful aliens. In Sedona, Arizona, the New Age mecca (and elsewhere, I'm sure) you can purchase pamphlets mapping the alien bases underneath the Red Rock country, and describing the aerial warfare between the Good and Bad Aliens over the Arizona skies!

I'm sure that there are people who sincerely believe in UFOs without any of this supernatural apparatus. Simple enough, it's fun to believe in the possibility of exciting things that might exist. Denzler discusses pseudo-science, and that is a different category from the New Age beliefs. But why and how do people believe in Pleiadeans, and create and embellish elaborate mythologies involving extraterrestrials as angels, demons and demigods? How do abduction beliefs spread in a population? There's a great book out there waiting to be written...

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Systematic Overview, February 7, 2002

By 

peter leschak (side lake, mn USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFO's (Hardcover)

Brenda Denzler has produced a systematic and enlightening overview of the UFO phenomenon that encompasses scientific, religious, and cultural examinations. While it stands alone as a comprehensive work, it also serves as a rich trove of sources for further research by those interested in all aspects of the phenomenon. Neutral in tone, it allows readers to explore the topic without the bias of either a skeptical or proselytizing author.