Short Abstract:

The panel explores extraordinary experiences challenging conventional reality, like spiritual encounters and pre-birth memories. It examines how Unwriting can reshape research methods, bridge conflicting views, and promote respectful, reflexive approaches to understanding these phenomena.

Long Abstract:

The panel engages with the theme of Unwriting by focusing on extraordinary experiences—phenomena that challenge conventional understandings of reality, such as spiritual encounters, mediumship, near-death experiences, pre-birth memories, and other so-called paranormal events. These experiences often exist on the margins of commonsense reality, placing those who live them in a space between belief and skepticism, acceptance and dismissal. For those experiencing these phenomena, navigating a world that questions or invalidates their reality creates challenges for both the experiencers and researchers attempting to study these events in ways that respect their complexity.

In this context, Unwriting offers an opportunity to rethink how we research such phenomena without imposing our own preconceived notions of reality. It invites reflection on the clash between the rational-scientific model of the researcher and the experiential, often non-material perspectives of the researched. How can we develop methodologies that honor these experiences without reducing or dismissing them? What perspectives are needed to bridge these divergent understandings of reality?

The panel invites scholars to explore new approaches, asking how we can "unwrite" the paradigms that limit the study of extraordinary experiences. It seeks contributions that propose innovative methodologies and perspectives, fostering more respectful, reflexive, and collaborative research that acknowledges the complexity of these experiences while reflecting on the researcher’s own positionality.

This Panel has so far received 1 paper proposal(s).
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