Call for Contributors:
We Came on a Spaceship: Examining Pseudoarchaeology’s Place in and Out of this World
Editors:
Stephanie Halmhofer (halmhofe@ualberta.ca); Robert Spinelli (rspinelli@ncis.org)
Abstract:
In 2022, Netflix released the first season of what would become a hit docuseries, Ancient Apocalypse. Hosted by popular author Graham Hancock, Ancient Apocalypse explored Hancock’s claims about an ancient technologically advanced civilization through stunning high-quality panoramic images of amazing places, historical and archaeological sites, on different continents. The show’s main contention is both interesting and engaging: mainstream science is wrong, human civilization is much older than what is accepted by historians and archaeologists, and scientists are, of course, too full of themselves to admit it. Despite stunning visuals and Hancock’s engaging presentation, the series received criticism and pushback from archaeologists, historians, and journalists for the show’s penchant for factual cherry picking, lack of conclusive evidence for the claims being made, and repeated conspiratorial and disparaging remarks against archaeology.
Although pseudoarchaeological claims like those presented in Ancient Apocalypse have been a common inclusion in popular culture for decades, the show and its controversies brought fresh attention to pseudoarchaeology and how pseudoarchaeological themes find their way into popular culture and gain the curiosity of many viewers. The show also raised discussions on the impact and influence of pseudoarchaeology beyond the pages and screens of its popular culture representations. Although the shows found on the History Channel are perhaps the most visible representations, these views have existed for a long time and have a wide reach into various fields. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to the issues redolent within pseudoarchaeology, this collection, under consideration with McFarland Publishers, seeks to bring together a team of scholars from multiple disciplines to address the breadth of ways in which pseudoarchaeological thoughts have existed throughout history. The mission of this volume is not simply to debunk these stories; rather, this volume will seek to explore pseudoarchaeology’s place in the world through theoretical analysis and discussion of contemporary/historical case studies. Please see our list of suggested topics below and note that these are suggestions only; the editors are eager to read abstracts from a number of different backgrounds.
Suggested topics may include examining pseudoarchaeology’s appearance in/roles for/relationships to, etc.:
Humanity’s origins
New religious movements/cults
Conspiracy theories
Conspirituality
Pseudohistory
Religion and historical interpretation (Mormonism, Scientology, etc)
Biblical archaeology (Noah’s Ark, giants)
Paranormal/metaphysical qualities
Famous hoaxes (Piltdown Man, Etruscan Warriors)
Literary depictions (Chariots of the Gods, mythology)
Film/pop culture/social media (podcasts, TV shows, movies, books, comics/graphic novels, TikTok, YouTube)
Racism/far-right extremism
Cultural appropriation & heritage concerns
Details
Proposals between 250 and 500 words, as well as brief author bios, should be submitted to Stephanie Halmhofer (halmhofe@ualberta.ca) & Robert Spinelli (rspinelli@ncis.org) by May 5, 2025.
The editors will then review all submitted proposals and notify applicants by June 5, 2024. Chapters should be approximately between 5,000–7,000 words and first drafts of completed manuscripts will be due December 31, 2025. The expected publication date will be in 2027.