After Contact: The Human Response to Extraterrestrial Life
Albert A. Harrison

Albert Harrison examines in detail the psychological, sociological, political, and cultural dimensions of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. By so doing, he firmly establishes that the behavioral and social sciences are as integral to the search as are the physical and biological sciences that have dominated the field up to now. This book offers a useful conceptual framework for rational discussion of extraterrestrial life forms, and provides a detailed analysis of likely human reactions to the detection of extraterrestrial life.

From the Publisher

Albert Harrison examines in detail the psychological, sociological, political, and cultural dimensions of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. By so doing, he firmly establishes that the behavioral and social sciences are as integral to the search as are the physical and biological sciences that have dominated the field up to now. This book offers a useful conceptual framework for rational discussion of extraterrestrial life forms, and provides a detailed analysis of likely human reactions to the detection of extraterrestrial life. Among the many examples that Harrison develops are: how psychological, social, and cultural factors shape people's views about the likelihood of intelligent extraterrestrials and the value of undertaking the search; how our understanding of life on Earth provides a useful framework for thinking about life elsewhere in our galaxy; how historical precedents give us a basis for forecasting human response to "contact"; how agencies such as the CIA inadvertently strengthen the impression of "government cover-up"; and why there is little risk that we will run afoul of an "evil empire." Harrison sketches our responses to the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence as individuals, as nations, and as humanity, and concludes that we have good reason for cautious optimism about the progress of the search and the aftermath of contact.


From The Critics

Frank Drake - SETI Institute
I remain very impressed with this book. It has all the earmarks of becoming the definitive source of information on the whole subject of SETI, extraterrestrial intelligent life, and the possible societal impact of SETI programs and eventual discoveries. It is a very fine piece of work.

Nature
Beautifully argued and warm-hearted.

News Space
[A] thought-provoking work that serves as a social and cultural road map to help readers grapple with the possibility that humans are not alone in the universe...

Steve J. Dick
This is a SETI book unlike any other. It quickly moved beyond the usual technical discussions of search methods to explore the nature of extraterrestrial life forms and human reactions to the discovery of extraterrestrial civilizations, based on the fields of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and political science. A very timely volume, considering the discoveries of possible martian fossils and planetary systems around other stars.

Paul Hodgem
I liked this book, but not because it is authoritative, though it is, and not because it covers all aspects of its subject, though it does, and not because it has citations to all of the major works in its fields, though it has, and not because it promises to become a classic treatment of the material though it will. I liked it because it's a damned good read.