Frank Hanger, a well-known ghost at the Ohio State Reformatory, gave me permission to conduct my research in June 2021. His response to my question about my USS project was through the blink of a flashlight, “translated” by a volunteer at the Ohio State Reformatory. This experience was reflective of other paranormal investigation techniques I witnessed, and those seen in paranormal media filmed at the site. The primary questions are: How is pseudoscience presented and learned? Does paranormal media have impact on tours? What ideologies are discussed at the Ohio State Reformatory? Using the tools and methods of an anthropologically informed discourse-centered approach, I transcribed and analyzed 10 hours of paranormal media filmed at the Ohio State Reformatory. I also used participant observation, visiting the OSR 10 times, taking 6 formal tours, and spoke with 15 people affiliated with the reformatory. I found that both the ghost tours at the OSR and the paranormal media filmed there circulate pseudoscientific practices and ideologies, perpetuating these narratives and ideas. The use of symbols associated with science and pseudoscientific discourse give legitimacy and credibility to these practices. Research like this helps us understand the human condition as a whole, and the range of experiences people use to make meaning of the world around them. Likewise, it provides experience in the empirical data collection and reasoned, theoretical analysis, all skills that are integral for a meaningful future in an interconnected world. They can be applied to marketing, user experience, game design, and professional writing.
Author: Erin Lindberg
Advisor: Leighton C. Peterson, Anthropology
You must be logged in to post a comment.