Jason Colavito (born 1981) is an American author and independent scholar specializing in the study of fringe theories particularly around ancient history and extraterrestrials. Colavito has written a number of books, including The Cult of Alien Gods (2005), The Mound Builder Myth (2020), and Legends of the Pyramids (2021).
In 2008 Colavito's The Science of Horror, the Horror of Science was published. The book examined the history and science of the horror genre with a particular focus on providing a broad overview and introduction to the subject. A reviewer in the Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts concluded "Academia aside, this is among the finest introductions to the horror genre I have read." and commends his epistemological approach to analyzing the genre.[9]
In 2018 the SPLC referred to Colavito as an independent scholar with an expertise in the convergence of fringe theories with contemporary politics.[10]
In 2021, Colavito published articles regarding UFOs in Slate and The New Republic.[11][12][13] He was also interviewed for an article in Slate about the links between ancient aliens conspiracies and contemporary right-wing conspiracies like QAnon.[14]
^"Achievers". Syracuse, NY. Post-Standard. August 7, 2003.
^ abBeth Beer, Cuddy (November 21, 2005). "New Book Sends The Saucers Spinning; Author Rebuts Claims Extraterrestrials Created Civilizations On Earth". Syracuse, NY. The Post-Standard.
^ abWilson, D. Harlan (2009). "The Science of Horror, the Horror of Science Review Essay: The Science of Horror, the Horror of Science Knowing Fear: Science, Knowledge and the Development of the Horror Genre by Jason Colavito Review by: D. Harlan Wilson". Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts. 20 (1): 109–116.
^Timmerman, Nicholas A. (February 2022). "The Mound Builder Myth: Fake History and the Hunt for a "Lost White Race" by Jason Colavito, and: Colonizing the Past: Mythmaking and Pre-Columbian Whites in Nineteenth-Century American Writing by Edward Watts (review)". Journal of Southern History. 88 (1): 155–157. doi:10.1353/soh.2022.0013. S2CID246819009.
^Jennings, Matthew (Winter 2021). "The Mound Builder Myth: Fake History and the Hunt for a "Lost White Race." By Jason Colavito". Western Historical Quarterly. 52 (4): 459–460. doi:10.1093/whq/whab093.