From Angels to Aliens: Teenagers, the Media, and the Supernatural

by Lynn Schofield Clark

Book Overview

Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the Left Behind series are but the latest manifestations of American teenagers' longstanding fascination with the supernatural and the paranormal. In this groundbreaking book, Lynn Schofield Clark explores the implications of this fascination for contemporary religious and spiritual practices. Relying on stories gleaned from more than 250 in-depth interviews with teens and their families, Clark seeks to...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195156099
• ISBN13: 9780195156096
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.6" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

Great read

Lynn Schofield Clark provides us with the exciting opportunity to venture into the various worlds of teen spirituality. Her analysis covers everything from rituals of the spend-the-night party games like ouija boards and "light as a feather" where one teen levitates to television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Clark miraculously combines the book knowledge of an academic and the deep understanding and caring of a church youth group volunteer. I recommend this book for anyone who works with youth (e.g., teachers; youth pastors) as well as parents of teens. It would also make a fabulous addition to college courses. Clark applies theories from Sociology, Cultural Studies, and Media Studies to down-to-earth examples that students are sure to enjoy!

Much more than Buffy...

Great book for anyone trying to understand how teenagers think about religion. Clark challenges easy definitions of what constitutes religious expression and symbol by spending serious time and effort listening to teens talk about their beliefs and what they listen to, watch and read. The author makes some particularly fascinating observations about teenage interest in aliens and marginalization. Angels to Aliens will appeal to people trying to understand younger members of congregations as well as those who find themselves outside organized religion.

Fascinating, well-researched book on teens, media and belief

This is a fascinating study of the role of media and religion in the lives of young people. As a media studies scholar, I found the book refreshing in its clarity and in its interest in how teens think about and deal with the notion of the supernatural. The author's use of ethnographic techniques gives the book detail and depth, as it goes far beyond the limits of survey research to look at religion in American culture. This is a must-read for everyone interested in culture and media, as it deals seriously with profound changes in American society.