Carlos S. Alvarado Archives : Essays in the History of Parapsychology and Psychology (1800–1899)

The disciplines of psychiatry, psychology, psychical research and parapsychology have emerged from the same foundational roots of Euro-American philosophy and science. Dr. Carlos S. Alvarado’s work presents a unique glimpse into the pre-history, foundations, and evolution of these disciplines, before developing their distinctive identities as we know them today. These volumes are of immense relevance to research scholars and students of psychology and parapsychology, as well as those of philosophy, history, theology, and psychoanalysis.

The prolific work of Dr. Carlos S. Alvarado has centered on studies about the history of psychical research and on survey research of various psychic experiences in a career spanning from 1976 to 2021. Curated from a publication list of over 500 publications in multiple languages, The Carlos S. Alvarado Archives is a collection of Dr. Alvarado’s peer-reviewed articles covering the European-American history of parapsychology and psychology. Arranged in the order of the content date, the papers present a systematic evolution of the history of parapsychology from the 1800s to the present, including the early foundations of psychology and parapsychology and the changing perspectives in the field.

Spread out over three volumes, the 142 papers cover historical topics that include mesmerism, hypnosis, somnambulism, dissociation, consciousness, hysteria, Spiritualism, Spiritism, and mediumship. Many of these papers cover the work of European and American stalwarts such as William James, Charles Richet, Alfred Binet, Allan Kardec, G. Stanley Hall, F.W.H. Myers, Michael Faraday, William Stainton Moses, and Albert de Rochas, and several others from the 19th to 21st century.

These volumes are of immense relevance to research scholars and students of psychology and parapsychology, as well as those of philosophy, history, theology, and psychoanalysis.