Associate Professor David Clarke PhD
Associate Professor
Summary
Dr David Clarke is one of the UK's leading authorities on contemporary legend and folklore. He is a co-founder of the Contemporary Legend research group at SHU and combines his interests in folklore with his teaching and research in journalism and media law. He is an experienced broadcaster and has acted as a consultant for The National Archives and the BBC.
About
Dr David Clarke is one of the UK's leading authorities on contemporary legend and folklore. He is a co-founder of the Centre for Contemporary Legend at SHU and is executive council member of the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research (ISCLR). David teaches media law and court reporting on the UG and PG multi-media journalism, sports journalism and PR courses and has 30 years experience as a journalist in print and online, via his blog www.davidclarke.co.uk. He is an experienced broadcaster and has acted as a consultant for The National Archives and the BBC. His main interests include legend and rumours, supernatural folklore, investigative journalism and archival research. He is currently supervising three PhD students and is a member of the Centre for Culture Media and Society steering group.
Specialist areas of interest
Media Law and Regulation
Investigative Journalism
Contemporary Legend and Folklore
Teaching
Department of Media Arts and Communication
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Subject area
Journalism and PR
Courses
BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism, MA Multimedia journalism/Sports Journalism/International Journalism & PR
Modules
Investigative Journalism (UG level 5); Covering the Courts (UG level 6); Media Law and Regulation (PG level 7).
Research
Using social media to enhance collaborative learning for media law students (with Julie Gillin)
WW1 Rumours and Legends
Centre for Contemporary Legend Research
The National Archives UFO Project (curator)
Featured Projects
Link 1. https://contemporarylegend.co.uk/
Relevant Projects
Co-founder, Centre for Contemporary Legend
Collaborators and Sponsors
- International Society for Contemporary Legend Research (ISCLR)
- The Folklore Society
Publications
Journal articles
Clarke, D. (2020). Marks of the Witch: Britain's ritual protection symbols. Fortean Times, (392), 36-43.
Clarke, D., & Clark, T. (2020). Fortean Traveller: Going 'out there' in SoCal. Fortean Times, (388), 74-77.
Clark, T., & Clarke, D. (2020). FORTEAN TRAVELLER: Going ‘out-there’ in SoCal. Fortean Times, 388.
Clarke, D. (2019). The Centre for Contemporary Legend (CCL): Inaugural symposium/conference report. FLS News - The newsletter of the Folklore Society, (87), 7-10. https://folklore-society.com/blog-post/fls-news-the-newsletter-of-the-folklore-society-call-for-contributions/
Clarke, D. (2018). Churchill's secret war. Fortean Times, 372.
Clarke, D. (2014). The Bowmen of Mons and Mars. Fortean Times, (319), 54-55. http://subscribe.forteantimes.com/blog/bowmen-of-mons-and-mars/
Clarke, D. (2013). Scared to death: fatal encounters with ghosts. Contemporary Legend, 3 (3), 1-22. http://contemporarylegend.org/journal/
Clarke, D. (2013). Scared to death: fatal encounters with ghosts. Contemporary legend, 3 (2). http://contemporarylegend.org/journal/
Baure, J.-.F., Clarke, D., Fuller, P., & Shough, M. (2008). Unusual atmospheric phenomena observed near Channel Islands, UK, 23 April 2007. Journal of Scientific Exploration, 22 (3), 291-308. http://journalofscientificexploration.org/
Clarke, D. (2006). Unmasking Spring-heeled Jack: a case study of a 19th century ghost panic. Contemporary Legend (New Series), 9, 28-53. http://www.contemporarylegend.org/
Clarke, D. (n.d.). Churchill's Secret War. Fortean Times.
Clarke, D. (n.d.). Tears for Fears: the curse of the crying boy. Revenant, (Specia).
Conference papers
Robinson, A., & Clarke, D. (2023). In the eye of the beholder: the Calvine UFO photograph [abstract only]. In 40th ‘Perspectives on Contemporary Legend’ - International Society of Contemporary Legend Research Annual Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, 26 June 2023 - 30 June 2023 (pp. 32-34). Sheffield: Centre for Contemporary Legend
Clarke, D. (2008). The National Archives Research Guide (UFOs). In The National Archives lecture series. National archives: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/ufo-research-guide-2013.pdf
Book chapters
Clarke, D. (2022). The Mothman of West Virginia: A case study in Legendary Storytelling. In Puglia, D.J. (Ed.) North American Monsters. A Contemporary Legend Casebook. (pp. 266-281). Louisville, Colorado: Utah State University Press: http://doi.org/10.7330/978164621602
Clarke, D. (2021). The Last Earl of Hallamshire: Legend, landscape and identity in South Yorkshire. In Cheeseman, M., & Hart, C. (Eds.) Folklore and Nation in Britain and Ireland. (pp. 63-77). New York: Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003007531
Clarke, D. (2016). Extraordinary experiences with UFOs. In The Ashgate Research Companion to Paranormal Cultures. (pp. 79-93).
Clarke, D. (2016). A new demonology : John Keel and The Mothman Prophecies. In Hunter, J. (Ed.) Damned Facts : Fortean Essays on Religion, Folklore and the Paranormal. (pp. 54-68). Cyprus: Aporetic Press: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Damned-Facts-Religion-Folklore-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B01BRL7UUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456314486&sr=8-1&keywords=damned+facts
Clarke, D. (2014). Extraordinary experiences with UFOs. In The Ashgate Research Companion to Paranormal Cultures. (pp. 79-94).
Clarke, D. (2013). Extraordinary experiences with UFOs. In The Ashgate Research Companion to Paranormal Cultures. (pp. 79-93).
Clarke, D. (2013). Extraordinary encounters with UFOs. In Jenzen, O., & Munt, S.R. (Eds.) The Ashgate research companion to paranormal cultures. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate
Clarke, D. (2011). It came from a friend of a friend : media-spread urban legends. In Batholomew, R.E., & Radford, B. (Eds.) The Martians have landed! : a history of media-driven panics and hoaxes. (pp. 130-155). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & co Inc
Books
Wingate, J., & Humberstone, N. (Eds.). (2021). Reclaiming Robin Hood: Folklore and South Yorkshire's infamous outlaw (first). Sensoria Festival.
Clarke, D. (2017). UFO drawings from The National Archives. London: Four Corners books. https://www.fourcornersbooks.co.uk/books/ufo-drawings/
Clarke, D. (2015). How UFOs conquered the World: the history of a modern myth. London: Aurum Press.
Clarke, D. (2014). Britain's x-traordinary files. London: Bloomsbury.
Clarke, D. (2013). Scared to death: and other ghost stories from Victorian Sheffield. Sheffield: ACM Retro.
Clarke, D. (2012). The UFO files: the inside story of real-life sightings. London: Bloomsbury. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/761.htm
Clarke, D. (2009). The UFO files: the inside story of real-life sightings. Kew: National Archives.
Baure, J.-.F., Clarke, D., Fuller, P., & Shough, M. (2008). Report on aerial phenomena observed near the Channel Islands,UK, April 23 2007 Report on aerial phenomena observed near the Channel Islands, UK, April 23 2007. www.uk-ufo.org/. http://www.guernsey.uk-ufo.org/
Theses / Dissertations
Rodgers, D. (2022). Wyrd TV: Folklore, folk horror and hauntology in British 1970s Television. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Clarke, D., & Hall, S. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00492
Subryan, M. (2021). Existential crisis? UK journalists make sense of theirprofessional practice. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Clarke, D., Doherty, K., & Canter, L. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00387
Internet Publications
Clarke, D. (2020). Folklore and Journalism - blog. [Wordpress]. https://drdavidclarke.co.uk/
Presentations
Robinson, A., Clarke, D., & Rodgers, D. (2020). Folklore, Custom and Contemporary Legend - The CCL Research Group at SHU. Presented at: Creating Knowledge Conference 2020, Online, 2020
Other publications
Clarke, D. (2015). Angels of War. http://www.pelicanist.blogspot.com: http://pelicanist.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/angels-of-war.html
Clarke, D. (2015). Portillo's State Secrets: Mysteries. The National Archives (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk): http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/portillos-state-secrets-mysteries/
Clarke, D. (2012). The National Archives UFO Project homepage. Kew, Surrey: The National Archives: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ufos
Other activities
- External examiner, MA Folklore Studies, University of Hertfordshire 2018-present
- Executive Council member, International Society for Contemporary Legend Research (ISCLR), 2016-present
- Editorial board member, The Skeptic magazine
- Feature writer/contributor, The Fortean Times magazine
Postgraduate supervision
- DoS PhD, journalism and media law/ethics, Mark Subryan (completion 2021)
- DoS PhD, folklore in 1970s children's TV, Diane Rodgers (ongoing)
- DoS PhD, folklore and creative writing, Sophie Parkes-Nield (ongoing)
- PhD supervisor, North East witch trials, folklore and heritage, Katie Liddane (Northumbria University)
Media
Journalist David teaches modules in media law and investigative journalism. He has a lifelong interest in folklore and ‘extraordinary experiences’ (with UFOs, ghosts and other supernatural phenomena). His PhD is in British folklore and cultural tradition. He is frequently quoted by national and international media as an expert in these areas and is a consultant for The National Archives UFO files project.