Explore Western Georgia's Parapsychology Folklore & Contribute to a Public Database

A new approach to studying paranormal folklore in Western Georgia is being taken by researchers from the University of West Georgia and the California Institute of Integral Studies. The researchers are using a qualitative approach, informed by critical theory, to collect and analyze data on local folklore in the form of stories, myths, and legends. The project aims to create a public database of these phenomena, located geographically on a map. The researchers are using critical narrative analysis as their approach and are urging participants to thickly describe their experiences in as much detail as possible. They are interested in the importance of geographic specificity and the role of ideology in shaping people's understanding of these paranormal events. The research question guiding the study is: "What paranormal folklore are available through firsthand and secondhand accounts in this specific geographic region?" The researchers are also considering how these stories resist and carve out their own niche within larger ideologies. They aim to fill in the gaps of previous attempts to collate reports of these phenomena in Western Georgia and add a critical theory approach to the field of parapsychology. As a Bigfoot believer and a curator for Squatchable, I am excited to see this new approach to studying paranormal folklore. I encourage our readers to watch the video and learn more about the project. The video can be found on the Parapsychological Association's YouTube channel. Let's continue to support and share research and evidence that supports the existence of Bigfoot.