Jerome Clark
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Jerome Clark (1946 - ) is an American researcher and writer, specializing in unidentified flying objects and other anomalous phenomena; he is also a songwriter of some note.
He is one of the most prominent UFO historians and researchers active today, and though his works have sometimes generated spirited debate, Clark is widely regarded as one of the most reputable writers in the field: his works have been cited in multiple Skeptical Inquirer articles [1]; despite the fact that many Magonia contributors disagree with some of Clark's conclusions, they have nonetheless consulted his books for their articles, and have described his works as "invaluable"[2] and described him as one of "ufology's finest;"[3] and as "highly-respected."[4] In his Saucer Smear, longtime ufologist James W. Moseley writes that Clark "is acknowledged ... as the UFO Field's leading historian."[5].
Clark is also a prominently featured talking head on made-for-T.V. documentaries, most notably the 2005 prime-time U.S. television special Peter Jennings Reporting: UFOs — Seeing Is Believing, discussing the early history of the U.S. Military's UFO investigations (see also Project Sign and Project Grudge.)
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[edit] Biography
Clark was born in Canby, Minnesota. He attended South Dakota State University and Minnesota State University in Moorhead, Minnesota, studying history and political science. He became interested in the UFO phenomenon in the 1960s. He has served as a writer, reporter, and editor for a number of magazines which cover UFOs and other paranormal subjects.
After living for many years in the Chicago area, where the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) is headquartered, Clark returned to his hometown of Canby, Minnesota, where he lives and works as of 2007.
[edit] Embracing then rejecting paranormal explanations
In the 1970s, Clark embraced some paranormal ideas to explain UFOs and other unusual phenomena; he was influenced by the "ultraterrestrials" theory of John Keel, and the so-called interdimensional hypothesis (which had been championed by Dr. Jacques Vallee). Clark even co-wrote a book on the subject with longtime friend Loren Coleman. Eventually, however, Clark came to reject the paranormal explanations: he thought them unscientific and judged many of their promoters prone to reaching unsupported conclusions and making grand pronouncements without evidence.
For a 1980 publication (not one of his own many books), Clark wrote:
- In the past two or three years I have become an agnostic about all UFO theories. I have discovered, as one who is no less guilty of it than anyone else, that one can "prove" just about anything by focusing on certain data and ignoring others. I happen to sympathize with the impulse to theorize about UFOs; after all, theories are how we make sense of things. But we ought not under any circumstances to take our theories too seriously, and we must never give them greater primacy than we give the observed facts … In my darker moments I have come to suspect that UFOs may represent something so far beyond us that our attempts to understand them may be comparable to an ant's efforts to comprehend the principles of nuclear physics." (quoted in Story, 75; emphasis in original)
In the years since, Clark has championed a sort of open-ended agnosticism, choosing to focus on phenomena that have some degree of documentable support -- whether physical evidence, or reliably reported events. He has argued very cautiously in favor of the extraterrestrial hypothesis, not as proven fact but as a working hypothesis, choosing to focus on the UFO cases he regards as the most promising: multiple witness and/or UFO cases which are said to leave physical evidence.
In 1983, Clark described himself as a "sceptical Fortean", writing, "Charles Fort was sceptical of establishment humbuggery and so are those of us who follow in his footsteps. That hasn't changed and I hope it never will. But now it's time that we train a sceptical eye on our own humbuggery as well."*[6]
[edit] Professional accomplishments
From 1976 to 1989 he was the editor of Fate magazine.
Clark is a board member of the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), one of the few UFO research groups with credible scientific support. Since 1985 he has served as the editor of the CUFOS journal, International UFO Reporter. He has also been the editor of the Journal of UFO Studies, the only peer reviewed publication in Ufology.
[edit] The UFO Encyclopedia
Perhaps his greatest accomplishment in the field of UFO studies came in the 1990s with the publication of his massive UFO Encyclopedia.
The UFO Encyclopedia was first published by respected academic and reference books specialists Omnigraphics as a three-volume hardcover set in the 1990s. In 1998, Visible Ink published a condensed, mass-market trade paperback version under the title The UFO Book, and an updated two-volume edition of the Encyclopedia was published in 2005. Clark wrote all the hundreds of entries, with a few exceptions, including an essay by biochemist Michael D. Swords about the extraterrestrial hypothesis; one article by folklorist Thomas E. Bullard about the abduction phenomenon; and a few by Bill Chalker about some Australian UFO incidents, and contributions by researcher Brad Sparks.
Backed by detailed research and extensive bibliographies, Clark's encyclopedia is widely regarded by most UFO researchers, and even many skeptics, as one of the best-researched and most credible publications on the often-controversial subject of UFOs: the Association of College and Research Libraries described the book as "the definitive work on the [UFO] subject for many years to come;"[7] while Library Journal notes that one of the judges for Clark's Benjamin Franklin Award declared the UFO Book (a condensed, mass-market version of the UFO Encyclopedia) "an exhaustive, non-judgmental look at the history of unidentified flying objects ... the writing is top notch and clear."[8]; critic Douglas Chapman praises the Encyclopedia as "a treasure for anyone interested in UFOs. The only people unlikely to be pleased by it are dogmatics of any stripe, for multiple points of view are represented."[9]; Psychologist Stuart Appelle praises "[Clark's] attempt to maintain objectivity ... in no case is the reader given less than a clear statement of the facts and opinions at hand, and ample opportunity to reach a conclusion on his or her own"[10]; in the Skeptic Files, Fredric L. Rice wrote that despite "a definitely 'pro' [UFO] standpoint, [Clark] is wise to include reactions and explanations of major UFO cases by debunkers such as Philip Klass and Donald Menzel. In Clark's telling of the tales, he points out major boners and silly comments by debunkers AS WELL AS overboard proponents, although the former group won't be thrilled by the portrayals ... Otherwise, the UFO ENCYCLOPEDIA is an excellent reference work, and should be added to any library of Fortean material. Readers new to the field should peruse the book to get a 'proper schooling' in the subject"[11] (in a follow-up, Rice stressed "I want to make a special effort to emphasize that my review [of] Clark's UFO Encyclopedia was meant to be very positive, and not negative as some had interpreted)"[12].
[edit] Songwriting and music
In addition to his duties as a writer, researcher, and editor, Clark has also written songs which have been recorded or performed by musicians such as Emmylou Harris, Mary Carpenter, and Tom T. Hall; he has often collaborated with Robin and Linda Williams[13]
Clark has also written numerous reviews of American roots music albums for Rambles magazine.[14]
[edit] Awards and Honors
An abridged version of the UFO Encyclopedia, entitled The UFO Book, won the 1998 Benjamin Franklin Award in the Science/Environment category from the Publishers Marketing Association.
Clark is also the 1992 recipient of the Isabel Davis Award (given by the Fund for UFO Research) for promoting rationality in the study of UFOs. He is an active participant in debates and discussions on the "UFO Updates" message boards and website.
[edit] Sources
- Story, Ronald D. "Clark, Jerome", p. 74-76 in The Encyclopedia of UFOs; Ronald Story, editor; 1980
- Story, Ronald D. (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrial Encounters, New American Library, 2001.
[edit] References
- ^ A 01 March 2007 search of csicop.org reveals eleven Skeptical Inquirer articles, dating from 1995 to 2007, that cite Clark's works in their bibliographies; in most cases, Clark is not mentioned by name in the articles, and his works seem to have been consulted to provide background detail on claims of paranormal or anomalous events
- ^ [http://www.magonia.demon.co.uk/arc/90/plague.html "A Plague of Aliens Visionary Rumour As Contemporary And Costume Drama"] by Peter Brookesmith, From Magonia 60, Summer 1997; URL accessed March 06, 2007
- ^ "If You Go Down to the Woods Tonight: another look at the Travis Walton case" by John Harney, 2001; URL accessed March 6, 2007
- ^ see the brief introduction to INVASION OF THE BARBARIAN MONSTERS FROM HEAVEN AND HELL by Nigel Watson, 1995; URL accessed March 6, 2007
- ^ Saucer Smear, volume Volume 45, No. 2, February 15th, 1998; URL accessed March 6, 2007
- ^ Clark, Jerome, Confessions of a Fortean Sceptic (1983); URL accessed March 6, 2007
- ^ UFO Encyclopedia: The Phenomenon from the Beginning product description from Omnigraphics; URL accessed March 6, 2007
- ^ "Invisible's UFO Book Wins Franklin Award" June 22, 1998; URL accessed March 06, 2007
- ^ The UFO Encyclopedia reviewed by Douglas Chapman URL accessed March 06, 2007
- ^ High Strangeness: UFOs from 1960 through 1979. The UFO Encyclopedia, Volume 3, Reviewed by Staurt Appelle; URL accessed March 06, 2007
- ^ "The SWAMP GAS JOURNAL" Volume 6 Number 2 June 1992; URL accessed March 06, 2007; empahsis in orignial
- ^ "Swamp Gas Journal" Volume 6 Number 3, November 1992; URL accessed March 06, 2007
- ^ List of songs credited to Jerome Clarkfrom Allmusic; URL accessed March 06, 2007
- ^ "Jerome Clark: Reviews by Jerome include:" from Rambles.com; URL accessed March 06, 2007
