From the Spirit to the Brain: The Transition From Parapsychological to Neurological Models of Explaining Near-Death Experiences

Near-Death Experiences are often used as anecdotal evidence of some sort of afterlife. They were discovered as a datum for scientific study at a late date, and when it was studied, it tended to be marginalized. In this article Austin Case traces the development of the study of NDEs and their possible explanations from an early, parapsychological phase to more recent, neurological models.

By Austin C. Case (published 06.07.2010)

How is memory affected by traumatic events? An evaluation of the basic tenet of repression theory

The Freudian concept of repression and its modern heir «dissociation» have been much debated in contemporary psychology. The debate has centered on the effect of trauma on memory. In this essay, Mona Hide Klausen reviews briefly elements of the debate and contemporary research findings.

By Mona Hide Klausen (published 17.01.2009)

‘The 2012 Phenomenon’

As the year 2012 approaches, apocalyptic visions of the year has achieved newfound popularity. In this MA-thesis, Sacha Defeche investigates the roots of the esoteric apocalypse in 2012 in psychedelic and New Age subculture, and looks at the different types of apocalyptic visions, from Jose Argüelles to David Icke.

Psychology and the Satanic Ritual Abuse Controversy. A Brief Research Review

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, psychologists dealing with «repressed memories», dissociation, and multiple personalities warned about a satanic conspiracy, based on testimonies from their patients. During the following years, the ideas and practices were researched. In this article, some of the research findings are summed up and briefly discussed.

“Enochian” language: A proof of the existence of angels?

Elizabethan England hosted many interesting and influential
personalities, from Francis Bacon, Walter Raleigh and Francis Drake to Edmund Spencer, Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. In this milieu we also find the eccentric philosopher and scientist John Dee. He collected the empire’s biggest library, and his contributions to mathematics, cartography and navigation greatly influenced the age of English exploration and discovery. However, he was also an ardent explorer of the celestial realms: John Dee believed firmly in the existence of angels. Together with the alchemist Edward Kelley he conducted magical rituals in order to commune with the
heavenly messengers. The result was a series of letter tables and verses in a previously unknown language. A proof of the existence of angels?

The Successor Problem

The death of the founder is a crisis in any religious movement. What does it take to change a secterian movement centered on a single charismatic
individual to a long-living religion? The fascinating life and works of Joseph Franklin Rutherford, the second leader of the movement we know as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, provides interesting clues to what inspires such a transition.

The Roswell Incident – the greatest mystery in UFO-logy?

Article from a skeptical viewpoint on the socalled Roswell UFO crash. The conclusion is that it has been created through series of slight exaggerations, which turned a pretty ordinary matter into a big, modern, fairy tale.

Media Constructions of ‘Satanism’ in Norway (1988-1997)

This paper describes how media construed «Satanism» during the late 1980s up to 1997.