Two forthcoming titles which seem to take contrasting views on the reasons why individuals believe in paranormal phenomena.
Kirstine Munk. Signs of the Times; Why do Modern People Use Astrology? Equinox (December)
Publisher's catalogue: Astrology has gained momentum in the modern, Western world. Almost everybody knows which sun sign they are born in. Magazines and newspapers carry astrology columns, and on the Internet, astrology appears to be even bigger than Christianity. Astrology is used by people from all walks of life from hairdressers and actors, to stock brokers, university professors, ministers, and politicians.
Since astrology cannot ‘work’ from a scientific point of view, it may seem strange that in contemporary times the well-educated are those who use astrology most. Indeed, many of the well-educated astrology users are themselves puzzled by the fact that they use it!
This book explores in which ways people in the modern, western world experience astrology as a meaningful practice. The investigation is based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted among Western astrologers and their clients in countries in Europe, USA, and Japan.
Since the main focus of this investigation is concerned with experience and meaning-making, the overall perspective is derived from phenomenology. However, other theoretical approaches such as cognitive science, sociology, psychology, aesthetics, literary theory, mass media research, divination, and ritual studies are used in order to come to grips with astrology as a an indispensable phenomenon of the modernisation of the Western world.
Erich Goode. The Paranormal: Who Believes, Why They Believe, and Why It Matters. Prometheus Books.
This book is now reviewed in full here: http://pelicanist.blogspot.com/2012/02/looking-at-believers.html
