This course explores the ways in which the conversation around the paranormal and unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) are informed by the culture and history of both the topic itself, and the fascinating, diverse groups of people who are engaging with it. It covers the ways people discuss, conceptualize, and know unexplained phenomena. The meaning assigned to the paranormal is far from universal. In some cultural contexts this meaning is an open question fraught with worry, secrecy and even alarm, while in other contexts the meaning is totally settled. We will discuss ontological frameworks that are associated with different paranormal phenomena, Indigenous knowledge of star people, and the surprising ways discussion around UAP and space exploration can mirror the ideals of settler colonialism. We will also discuss the emerging academic study of UAP, and how our fascination with the unknown has pushed science forward at crucial junctions, in the past and present. We will also talk about the politics of knowledge creation, and whose knowledge gets to be taken seriously.