Podcast
Beyond the Human: Anthropology of the Unknown
Hosted by Chris Daley and Ryan Goeckner
From ghost stories to alien encounters to medical mysteries, every culture holds some belief in the paranormal. But why do so many of us believe in things that science can’t explain?
On Beyond the Human, join two anthropologists as we explore the mysteries that unite us – strange experiences, supernatural beliefs, and the stories that stretch the limits of our understanding. Through global perspectives and personal insights, we dive into what these shared beliefs reveal about humanity – and what they might say about the unknown itself.
Join us as we investigate the weird, the wonderful, and the deeply human.
What is the Society for Applied Paranormal Research?
The Society for Applied Paranormal Research (SAPR) is a dedicated group of academics seeking to advance the scholarly investigation and understanding of paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous phenomena, and who use this knowledge and understanding to develop and employ practical applications and solutions to address the associated challenges.
SAPR aims to explore paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous phenomena through academically rigorous research that seeks to validate individual experiences of the paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous, alongside applying and disseminating this knowledge to academic and non-academic communities. SAPR accomplishes these goals by:
- Contributing to and maintaining the Applied Paranormal Research Database.
- Developing curricula for the academic study of paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous phenomena.
- Providing consultations and investigative services to individuals, businesses, agencies, and other organizations concerning paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous phenomena.
What is the Anomalies Database?
The Anomalies Database is being created through our Anomalies Research Project. It will be a collection of research materials devoted to the academic study of paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous phenomena, specifically the lived experiences related to them. With the goal of promoting scholarly and cross-cultural understanding, Anomalies will provide materials to support learning and research on the paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous mysteries that unite humanity.
Hosts
Chris Daley
I’m what many would call “one of those over-educated people”. I stayed in school until I was 30, picking up alphabet soup after my name. I learned a lot – enough to make a decent living as a medical school and university professor. I’m a medical anthropologist, which means I study things at the intersection of culture and medicine. It’s a really interesting intersection because so much of it doesn’t fit into natural explanations. That’s where paranormal, supernatural, and anomalous phenomena come in and where my fascination with it began.
Over the years, I’ve learned about things that affect our health that medicine can’t or won’t examine because the explanations are a little…out there? Many of these illnesses can be explained and treated if we look outside the medicine many of us are used to. Once I began accepting that things like ghost sickness and possession are real, my world opened up. I became fascinated by all things paranormal and started learning as much as possible.
Because I believe in learning by doing, I started investigating the paranormal and helping people in any way I could. I’m now just as fascinated as ever and have 30 years of experiences, evidence, and stories to confirm what I already knew to be true – the paranormal is real and people who believe in it and are affected by it aren’t crazy (ok, maybe some are…but they’re not crazy because they believe in the paranormal).
Ryan Goeckner
Ryan Goeckner’s fascination with the paranormal began when he first saw the famous Patterson-Gimlin film as a kid – and he’s been hooked ever since. Now, as a cultural anthropologist, Ryan explores how our beliefs about the unknown shape the way we see the world and relate to one another.
His work bridges the gap between academic research and real-world investigation. He’s explored how college courses can shape beliefs about the paranormal and has spent over a decade investigating haunted sites across the U.S. – including the Missouri State Penitentiary, Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and The Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas. Ryan brings a scholarly lens to these experiences, helping apply critical, cultural perspectives to the practice of paranormal investigation.
Chris M. Daley, PhD 