My Writing

I have contributed a number of articles (in both refereed and popular journals)
and book chapters in edited anthologies (published by international academic presses).
(For a full list, see my List of Publications).

Click {PDF} to download a specific text below, or {LINK} to find it at the publisher's website.

{Back to Index} {Curriculum Vitæ} {List of Publications}

Articles and Book Chapters (refereed)

Handbook of Contemporary Religion, Film, and Television Östling, Erik A. W. 2026. "Cosmic Kidnapping: Alien Abduction Narratives, Popular (Oc)culture and the Folkloresque." In Venetia Laura Delano Robertson & Carole M. Cusack, eds., Handbook of Contemporary Religion, Film, and Television (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion 24). Leiden: Brill, 403 – 431. {LINK}

The Exeter Companion to Changeling Lore Östling, Erik A. W. 2026. "Missing Changelings? UFOs, Alien Abductions and Conspiracy Narratives." In David Ermacora & Simon Young, eds., The Exeter Companion to Changeling Lore: The West Eurasian and Mediterranean Tradition. Exeter: University of Exeter Press, 260 – 273. {LINK}

Approaching Religion Östling, Erik A. W. 2021. "'The wrath of God on children of disobedience': COVID19 in the theology and ideology of the Westboro Baptist Church." Approaching Religion 11, no. 2: 82 – 97. {PDF} {LINK}

Handbook of UFO Religions Östling, Erik A. W. 2021. "'I Figured that in my Dreams, I Remembered what Actually Happened': On Abduction Narratives as Emergent Folklore." In Benjamin E. Zeller, ed., Handbook of UFO Religions (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion 20). Leiden: Brill, 197 – 232. {LINK}

The Routledge Companion to Death and Dying Östling, Erik A. W. & James R. Lewis. 2017. "Death and the afterlife in the Raëlian religion." In Christopher M. Moreman, ed., The Routledge Companion to Death and Dying. New York: Routledge, 230 – 242. {LINK}

The Oxford Handbook
of New Religious Movements: Volume II Östling, Erik A. W. 2016. "What Does God Need with a Starship? UFOs and Extraterrestrials in the Contemporary Religious Landscape." In James R. Lewis & Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen, eds., The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements: Volume II. New York: Oxford University Press, 417 – 430. {LINK}

Handbook
of Nordic New Religions Östling, Erik A. W. 2015. "Herald of the Cosmic Brother Hood: The Story of the Swedish Contactee Sten Lindgren." In James R. Lewis & Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen, eds., Handbook of Nordic New Religions (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion 11). Leiden: Brill, 374 – 389. {LINK}

Controversial New Religions (2nd edition) Östling, Erik A. W. 2014. "'Those Who Came From The Sky': Ancient Astronauts and Creationism in The Raëlian Religion" In James R. Lewis & Jesper Aagaard Petersen, eds., Controversial New Religions (2nd edition). New York: Oxford University Press, 368 – 382. {LINK}

Aura: tidskrift för akademiska studier av nyreligiositet Östling, Erik A. W. 2009. "Raëlrörelsen: En vetenskaplig religion eller en religon i vetenskapsliknande klädnad?" Aura: tidskrift för akademiska studier av nyreligiositet 1: 70 – 103. {PDF} {LINK}

mail Contact: erik.a.w.ostling@gmail.com

Last updated: January 20, 2026

	Östling, Erik A. W. 2026. "Cosmic Kidnapping: Alien Abduction Narratives, Popular (Oc)culture and the Folkloresque." In Venetia Laura Delano Robertson & Carole M. Cusack, eds., Handbook of Contemporary Religion, Film, and Television (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion 24). Leiden: Brill, 403 – 431. {LINK}
	Östling, Erik A. W. 2026. "Missing Changelings? UFOs, Alien Abductions and Conspiracy Narratives." In David Ermacora & Simon Young, eds., The Exeter Companion to Changeling Lore: The West Eurasian and Mediterranean Tradition. Exeter: University of Exeter Press, 260 – 273. {LINK}
	Östling, Erik A. W. 2021. "'The wrath of God on children of disobedience': COVID19 in the theology and ideology of the Westboro Baptist Church." Approaching Religion 11, no. 2: 82 – 97. {PDF} {LINK}
	Östling, Erik A. W. 2021. "'I Figured that in my Dreams, I Remembered what Actually Happened': On Abduction Narratives as Emergent Folklore." In Benjamin E. Zeller, ed., Handbook of UFO Religions (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion 20). Leiden: Brill, 197 – 232. {LINK}
	Östling, Erik A. W. & James R. Lewis. 2017. "Death and the afterlife in the Raëlian religion." In Christopher M. Moreman, ed., The Routledge Companion to Death and Dying. New York: Routledge, 230 – 242. {LINK}
	Östling, Erik A. W. 2016. "What Does God Need with a Starship? UFOs and Extraterrestrials in the Contemporary Religious Landscape." In James R. Lewis & Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen, eds., The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements: Volume II. New York: Oxford University Press, 417 – 430. {LINK}
	Östling, Erik A. W. 2015. "Herald of the Cosmic Brother Hood: The Story of the Swedish Contactee Sten Lindgren." In James R. Lewis & Inga Bårdsen Tøllefsen, eds., Handbook of Nordic New Religions (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion 11). Leiden: Brill, 374 – 389. {LINK}
	Östling, Erik A. W. 2014. "'Those Who Came From The Sky': Ancient Astronauts and Creationism in The Raëlian Religion" In James R. Lewis & Jesper Aagaard Petersen, eds., Controversial New Religions (2nd edition). New York: Oxford University Press, 368 – 382. {LINK}
	Östling, Erik A. W. 2009. "Raëlrörelsen: En vetenskaplig religion eller en religon i vetenskapsliknande klädnad?" Aura: tidskrift för akademiska studier av nyreligiositet 1: 70 – 103. {PDF} {LINK}