UFO Abduction Reports: The Supernatural Kidnap Narrative Returns in Technological Guise
Abstract
First-person reports of abductions by UFO occupants have grown in number during the past few years, and constitute an unusually well-structured legend type. These accounts share many motifs with legends of supernatural encounters and otherworldly journeys, but reconcile thefantastic elements with a supposedly alien technology to settle comfortably among the rest of UFO lore. Abductions update the content of supernatural kidnap traditions and assume theirfunction.
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Although each UFO abduction account is unique, there exists a generic narrative.
“Indeed, although each UFO abduction account is unique, we can also speak of the existence of a “generic narrative” (Luckhurst, 1998, p. 31; see also Bullard, 1989; Smith, 2001).”
From Race and (the Study of) Esotericism (2020) · cites this paper as Bullard, 1989
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Cited by 41
- Authors
- Bullard, T. E.
- Corresponding author
- Bullard, Thomas E.
- ORCID
- Bullard, Thomas E.
- Venue
- The Journal of American Folklore
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press
- Published
- 1989-04
- Volume
- 102
- Issue
- 404
- Pages
- 147
- ISSN
- 0021-8715 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2335467851
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 0.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of American Folklore (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices
- Keywords
- UFO abductions, personal account, alien technology, supernatural encounters, narrative motifs
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