I'm a PhD Candidate Studying UAP UFOs and Here's What I've Discovered

Should UAPs be part of University studies? PhD Candidate Maya Cowan discusses her experiences studying UAP as part of her Doctorate in Anthropology from Binghamton University.

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Maya Cowan is a PhD candidate in sociocultural anthropology at Binghamton University, researching the academic culture of UAP Studies. Her dissertation focuses on the era of scientific research that has emerged around UAP following 2017.

You can find Maya at:

00:00 Introduction to the Good Trouble Show
00:38 Call to Action: Subscribe and Engage
00:58 Support Through Patreon
01:23 Guest Introduction: Maya Cowan
02:13 Maya's Background and Interest in UAP
03:37 What is Cultural Anthropology?
04:14 Evolution of Anthropology as a Discipline
06:08 Maya's Shift to UAP Research
07:21 The Dissertation Process
08:22 The Stigma Around UAP Studies
09:00 From Community Currencies to UAP: Changing Research Focus
11:02 Gaining Permission to Study UAPs
12:57 The Link Between Anthropology and UAP
15:06 Methodology: Ethnography and Interviews
17:05 Use of the Scientific Method in Anthropology
18:29 Key Topics of Maya's Research
20:03 Stigma in Hard Sciences vs. Social Sciences
23:22 Debunkers vs. Skeptics
27:44 The Concept of Stigma and Taboo
31:58 Impact of 2017 New York Times UAP Revelations
34:57 The Role of Shame in Enforcing Stigma
35:46 Conferences Attended by Maya
36:59 Importance of Conferences for Academic Networking
38:06 Perception of UAP Among Different Age Groups
42:22 Teaching Anthropology and Addressing Stigma
44:19 Future Academic Plans and UAP Research
45:48 How to Connect With Maya
46:34 Conclusion: Thanks and Well Wishes

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[ejethrogaede]

KUDOS, Maya! I am a retired Emeritus Assoc. Prof. Anthropology and I applaud your courage, determination and much needed anthropological perspective on the UAP/USO phenomena. Wishing you much success!

[Mccmatt]

The fact that institutions are allowing candidates to chase the topic is massive.

[MiqelDotCom]

25:06 There's a middle ground here. Some (in fact, most) skeptics and debunkers are neutral or open to the potential reality of truly unexplained UAPs, and they are motivated by an interest in separating the hoaxes, scams, & misidentifications from the cases where there is actual anomalous data.

[terrainofthought]

As a 16 year old geek in 1986, I religiously read the UFO magazine and used to talk about UFO's a lot to just about everyone. I even submitted articles to the local newspaper about the phenomenon which at that time was alien to my South Asian culture. No need to say that I was ridiculed by just about everyone for my passion for the unidentified flying objects. Now the subject is consider worthy of academic discourse which even as a teen i knew it would one day be.

[PhotoTrekr]

I was an Anthropology major at a large state university in the early 70's. And I had taken all of the Anthropology courses I really wanted to take. So, my advisor let me take a course called Readings which was a graduate level class. I had to read one book a week and I would come to his office and discuss the books. To my amazement I was allowed to read whatever I wanted. I chose the books that were available at that time about UFOs, ancient aliens, and the paranormal. I worried that he might get in trouble with the department. He was a very cool professor and one of my favorite teachers.

[robertchaffee]

I started studying Ufology in 1974. I've studied it as far back as the Summerian period up until today. I became an experiencer of the third kind in 1995.

[bindfixfoe]

Wow it's really great to see such a young inspiring individual pursuing this study on UAP. Maya Cowan I wish you all the success, thanks for having her on Matt, refreshing to see such positive light on the subject.

[alexandermoore]

She Cool as hell. We need her back for more information

[davidkingsford]

Keep swinging Matt. The cracks are getting bigger. Your program makes a real difference.

[yesnomaby]

What a bright young woman, Realy nice to see university's opening the aperture.
Thanks

[luku]

Coming here directly from the New Paradigm Institute’s broadcast for Global Disclosure Day!

[DevilDears]

Interesting conversation! I have the theory that most debunkers either feel personally threatened by the possibility of the UAPs/occupants being real (so it becomes an emotional trauma/ fighting for your life response because they are afraid of the unknown/change the topic would bring if it’s confirmed and accepted beyond a doubt) OR they want to be accepted as an authority figure so they can prove to others how competent/smart they are (meaning that they “can’t be duped” and people should accept their judgement on what’s real/important to talk about and what isn’t).
Both are deeply personal motivations speaking to human insecurities and/or issues with ego.

[elseb]

Maya seems very nice and down to earth! She is definitely an enrichment for the UAP studies and her approach to break down the reasons of the Stigma. In our culture her studies could help folks around the world to be more open to new possibilities! Greets from Germany, Great 😎

[dmbjj]

I too, am a PhD candidate who is deeply interested in the issue. There are so many ways this topic could be studied. At the very least, a societal study could easily be conducted on this issue and actually have an evidence base to the so called "societal reaction" to the announcement of the existence of UAP. Right now, I doubt there is any such study having been conducted and if the results come back as "people are ready" and wont be shocked by such an announcement - it gives greater government more confidence / less of an out not to release data. This only adds to an evidence base that doesnt exist - boom - there is your next research topic!

[free_spirit]

Matt, regarding Mick West: For me the biggest flag that he could well be an agent is his efforts in debunking Havana syndrome. I can sympathize with people having a hard time letting go of 80 years of programming when it comes to NHI. Havana syndrome being caused by an ADS weapon on the other hand is completely plausible and well within the boundaries of whatever unethical things the US and Russia have done in the past. We've had the technology to give people brain damage at a distance ever since the development of radar. The fact that West is so opposed to this for me strengthens the case that he is directly or indirectly employed by the govt.

[cknowles]

Maya, you are awesome, intelligent and very interesting please do not let the negativity of some change your mind. Honestly we need several more serious people looking into what any intelligent person can say is definitely real. The amount of proof there is now starting to come out is slowly but steadily drowning the debunkers!

[thethdimension]

Academia serves as a gateway (literally and figuratively) to so, so many areas of the public sphere which remain otherwise closed off to this discussion... Seeing the speed at which these sorts of programs and proposals are being assembled should help to steel the nerves of a community that receives so very few assurances that their convictions will bear any relevance on the world stage. Thanks for another great show, Matt & company.

[olderwiser]

Interesting that she says “like everyone” since 2017…not everyone. As a liberal Democrat who reads and gets most of my regular news from liberal/left-leaning news sources and has liberal friends, I’d say the group know as “liberals” is the biggest group resisting this issue and has brushed it off as still not real. And the liberal news leaders won’t report on it & liberal opinion writers are angry even hearing about it—even after the NYT 2017 groundbreaking story. Most of my friends still snicker and refer to little green men and refuse to believe it. They are still so tied to the stigmatization and don’t realize how indoctrinated they are—even the government saying “these are real” is not enough for them.

[wade]

Ridicule is something we learn as children. If something is different or not understood, ridiculing it is the best way to distance ourselves from it so that we can be one of the 'cool kids.'
Some people outgrow this, most don't. That this topic is more accepted now might be an opportunity for us to evolve past the fear-response that leads us to ridicule and stigmatize.

Also, scientists who are more concerned with their reputations than with digging out the truth of a controversial topic are a potential problem. So, thank you, Maya Cowan, for your bravery!

[networkimprov]

Please have her back on to discuss her published work and/or works in progress!