Belief in Conspiracy Theory Research Papers (original) (raw)

Conspiracy theorizing is common in many countries worldwide. It plays a particularly important role in contemporary Russian politics. The substantial part of such “theories” focuses on the sinister plans of foreign enemies, among which the United States and its allies are mentioned most frequently. A wide range of actors, varying from high-standing officials to ordinary people, resort to such conspiracy theorizing. In the 1990s, the authorities and their supporters rarely resorted to this kind of conspiracy theorizing; however, lately it has become an increasingly important element of Russian official discourse in the second half of the 2000s. The Dulles’ Plan (DP) is an existing narrative that discusses how the USA could corrupt the Soviet/Russian society with the help of internal accomplices. It is claimed to be a genuine US official plan that graphically demonstrates American enmity and malignity towards Russia. Despite the fact that this plan’s authenticity has since been called...

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- Russian Studies, Russian Politics, Conspiracy Theories, Russian Foreign Policy

Western esotericism is intimately linked with conspiracy theories. On the one hand, conspiracy theories often focus on alleged “secret societies” such as the Illuminati, the Rosicrucians, or the Freemasons, sometimes thought to possess superhuman powers. On the other, contemporary esoteric currents often spin their own conspiratorial narratives involving reductionist science, materialistic medicine, and corrupt repressive politicians, acting in concert to keep the true esoteric knowledge of divine origins and human potential from a population starved of spiritual truth. How might we explain these relationships? This article proposes a model that combines historical, sociological, and psychological factors, arguing that the relationship is intrinsic. Historically, “esotericism” is a product of mnemohistorical processes where “hidden lineages” from ancient times to the present play a crucial role, both for adherents identifying with such secret traditions and opponents attributing unwanted developments to secret cabals; socially, esotericism is organized along the lines of the loosely structured and culturally deviant “cultic milieu”; psychologically and cognitively, the cultic milieu produces selection pressures that favour certain personality traits and cognitive styles associated with increased conspiracism as well as paranormal beliefs and attributions, and produce forms of “motivated reasoning” that make conspiracy theories about “the establishment” – and competing esoteric groups – appealing.

Selon une enquête parue en janvier 2018 et réalisée par l’ifop pour le compte de la Fondation Jean Jaurès et le site internet Conspiracy Watch, un quart des français, et la situation serait encore plus grave pour les 18-24 ans, serait sensible aux théories du complot. Or, ce constat alarmiste largement relayé par la grande presse et les télévisions nécessite toutefois d’être largement nuancé. Travail militant aux orientations méthodologiques sujettes à caution, il conviendra dans un premier temps de déconstruire concrètement le tableau sobre brossé par cette étude afin de véritablement appréhender le conspirationnisme contemporain de manière scientifique à la manière d’un fait social et politique à la fois transversal à l’échiquier politique, l’échelle sociale et à la pyramide des âges
Pour ce faire, comme dans le cadre des phénomènes populistes, deux écueils doivent impérativement être évités. Le premier consiste à éviter une approche trop extensive qui tendrait à voir dans toutes formes de critiques sociales radicales adressées au système néolibéral un aveu plus ou moins manifeste de complotisme. Le second, par symétrie, consisterait à nier l’existence de ce phénomène et à voir dans l’étiquette complotiste le dernier avatar du même système néo-libéral pour disqualifier les critiques formulées à son endroit. Nous illustrerons ces différents aspects au travers de divers exemples.
Partant de là ; il sera enfin temps d’aborder les véritables enjeux et processus d’adhésion au phénomène conspirationniste contemporain.

Crises are associated with search for meaning and security. In recent years, they have also been associated with increased attention to conspiracy theories. Such theories about COVID-19 have been many. We looked at several COVID-specific conspiracy theories and their relation to a number of other measures, including religiosity in a highly educated Norwegian convenience sample (N = 1225). Conspiracy mentality, lack of trust, and religiosity were directly associated with conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19, whereas self-reported stress and negative emotions related to the pandemic had only small, indirect effects. Unlike previous research, we found no effect of gender or age.

- by Asbjørn Dyrendal
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- Meaning of Life, Psychology of Religion, Conspiracy Theories, Norway

Dostojewskis Kurzroman Aufzeichnungen aus dem Kellerloch oder eigentlich "dem Untergrund" (Записки из подполья im Original) wurde erstmals 1864 in der Zeitschrift Epocha veröffentlicht. Die Geschichte des namenlosen Mannes im Untergrund gliedert sich in zwei Teile. Im ersten Teil legt der damals 40-jährige Beamte seine Lebensphilosophie in der Gegenwart der Erzählung dar und im zweiten erinnert er sich an eine Reihe von Ereignissen, die sich in der Vergangenheit der Erzählung, fünfzehn Jahre früher, zugetragen haben.

- by Houchang Chehabi
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- Historiography, Conspiracy Theories, Iran, Conspiracy Culture

Bad history and in particular bad historical interpretation surrounds the scandal of the Tuam Mother and Baby home. It has been called Ireland’s holocaust by Irish politicians and journalists who have declared that an order of Catholic nuns in Tuam. Co. Galway murdered 796 babies in their care between 1925 and 1960. In the aftermath of the Tuam revelations, other orders and organisations which were historically involved in maternal, neonatal and child care, including some Protestant organisations, stand similarly accused. The primary reason given for the motivation of a group of women to take upon themselves the mass murder of children is that they loathed illegitimate children. Accordingly, they were in the business of baby disposal to “get rid of an embarrassment to Catholic Ireland”. It is however a fantasy.

- by Eugene Jordan
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- Psychology, History of Science, Medical Statistics, Irish History

Those challenging the official accounts of significant events are often labeled conspiracy theorists and the alternative explanations they propose are often referred to as conspiracy theories. These labels are frequently intended to dismiss the beliefs of those questioning potential hegemonic control of what people believe. The conspiracy theory concept functions as an impediment to legitimate discursive examination of conspiracy suspicions. The effect of the label appears to constrain even the most respected thinkers. This impediment is particularly problematic in academia, where thorough, objective analysis of information is critical to uncovering truth, and where members of the academy are typically considered among the most important of epistemic authorities. This paper follows the development and use of such terms as pejoratives used to shut down critical thinking, analysis, and challenges to authority. Evidence exists suggesting government agents were instrumental in creating the pejorative meme conspiracy theorist and the use of this pejorative continues in contemporary media. How has the phrase conspiracy theorist developed as a powerful hegemonic tool against those who challenge authority and claims made by powerful people and institutions?
Keywords: conspiracy theory, conspiracy theorist, hegemony, propaganda, critical discourse analysis

- by James Rankin and +1
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- Propaganda, Conspiracy Theories, Hegemony, Conspiracy Theories and Transparency

In this chapter for Richard and Rachel's book on conspiracy theories, I detail how logical fallacies (the factoid fallacy, mystery therefor magic, countless counterfeits) and conceptual biases (confirmation bias, evidence denial, the... more

We designed, in French and in English, a single-item scale to measure people's general tendency to believe in conspiracy theories. The validity and reliability of this scale was assessed in 3 studies (total N = 555). In Study 1 (N = 152), positive correlations between the single-item scale and 3 other conspiracy belief scales on a French student sample suggested good concurrent validity. In Study 2 (N = 292), we replicated these results on a larger and more heterogeneous Internet American sample. Moreover, the scale showed good predictive validity—responses predicted participants' willingness to receive a bimonthly newsletter about alleged conspiracy theories. Finally, in Study 3 (N = 111), we observed good test-retest reliability and demonstrated both convergent and discriminant validity of the single-item scale. Overall these results suggest that the single-item conspiracy belief scale has good validity and reliability and may be used to measure conspiracy belief in favor of lengthier existing scales. In addition, the validation of the single-item scale led us to develop and start validating French versions of the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs scale, the Conspiracy Mentality Questionnaire, and a 10-item version (instead of the 15-item original version) of the Belief in Conspiracy Theories Inventory.

- by Anthony Lantian
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- Conspiracy Theories, Paranormal Beliefs, Belief in Conspiracy Theory

This study is based upon a three year ethnography with the 9

Pyrrhonisme ancien et problème de la connaissance

- by Lola Jallais
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- Scepticism, Philosophical Scepticism, Sextus Empiricus, Belief in Conspiracy Theory

Despite the immense and lasting success of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code as both a novel and a broader cultural phenomenon, few scholars have attempted to explain its very popularity. Using a cultural-historical lens, this essay argues that the success of Brown's narrative should be understood as a reflection of some of the major political themes in the post-9/11 United States: the secrecy and deceptions of the George W. Bush administration and the resulting distrust of government and flowering of conspiracy theories.

- by Matthew Schneider-Mayerson
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- American Literature, American Studies, Literature, Popular Culture

In our days we tend to think of conspiracy theories as a predominantly modern concept, which expanded widely during the Cold War and we often underestimate their influence in the public Logos, classifying them as pseudo-history and product of collective illusion. However the occasional unexpected course of politics and the accidental events which might occur only make conspiracies to appear even more attractive, turning them to self-fulfilling prophecies. The term ‘conspiracy’ and its context in the ‘modern’ sense (i. e. a ‘secret’ conspiracy that threatens the existence of a society)was firstly introduced by the fourth century historian Ammianus Marcellinus in order to describe what seemed to be a barbarian collaboration to invade and pillage the north-western Roman provinces in 367 AD. Therefore in order to explain this supposed barbarian collaboration against Rome, he coined the term Conspiratio Barbarica. Half a century later the Roman authorities and the populus Romanus felt that they were facing the combined forces of an external threat and a collaborating enemy within. The gradual rise and influence of men of (semi)barbarian origin in the army and Court and the increase and effectiveness of barbarian raids and invasions became a great concern causing people to start searching for answers beyond the field of the Obvious or the effectiveness of the of the late Roman modus gubernandi, concluding in their fear and anxiety that the only explanation was that someone from within had invited the barbarians in order to destroy Rome. In such a time of uncertainty and insecurity, the manufacturing of invisible intruders and traitors of the Romanitas in the collective imagination was almost inevitable. This paper will attempt to examine the rise and influence of conspiracy theories among the late Roman elites and people and will highlight all those conditions and factors that made those theories so appealing and attractive as an interpretation and explanation of the Late Roman Realities.

- by Ioannis Papadopoulos
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- Roman History, Discourse, Conspiracy Theories, Populism

This essay argues that the insurrection at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, can be partially explained by the rise of what we call presidential eschatology, a religious master narrative that represents a historic shift from presidents appealing to God to presidents becoming a messiah figure. More specifically, we trace President Trump's embrace of this kind of religious discourse-which we contend is a form of weaponized political communication aiming to undermine democracy-to his acceptance of a millennialist narrative fashioned by QAnon conspiracy theorists. Through a close reading of primary sources from the movement, the study illustrates how these eschatological themes surfaced in QAnon's discourse and were exploited by Trump and his allies as they sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Uno scambio di interventi con Diego Fusaro sul ruolo del Bilderberg ed il destino dello Stato nazionale.

- by Franco Ferrari
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- Conspiracy Theories, Conspiracy Culture, Belief in Conspiracy Theory

In their much discussed A Lot of People are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy, Muirhead and Rosenblum (2019) argue that ‘a new conspiracism’ has emerged recently. Their examples include Donald Trump’s allegations that elections have been rigged, ‘Birther’ accusations about Barack Obama, ‘QAnon’ and ‘Pizzagate’. They characterize these as ‘conspiracism without the theory’. They argue that the new conspiracism is validated by repetition, disregards experts, and is satisfied with the conclusion that allegations are ‘true enough’. Here I argue that there is no new conspiracism. Muirhead and Rosenblum have misconstrued their chief examples of new conspiracism and mischaracterized classic conspiracism. The non-existence of a new conspiracism matters. If those studying contemporary conspiracism suppose that many of the objects of their study are theory-free then they are liable to fail to examine the theories that actually are driving contemporary conspiracism. Also, if they suppose that they are confronting an entirely new phenomenon then they are in danger of failing to learn lessons from the rich history of conspiracy theorizing.

Thanks to Ansbjorn Dryendal for forwarding this conspirituality-related article.

- by James Rankin and +1
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- Propaganda, Conspiracy Theories, Hegemony, Conspiracy Theories and Transparency

If the work of semioticians on conspiracy theories has a purpose whatsoever, is not that of indicating, from a supposedly superior vantage point, who is right and who is wrong, who is conspiring and who is not, who is creating a fake conspiracy theory and who is unveiling a dangerous social secret. The purpose of semiotics is, rather, that of indicating the discursive conditions that encourage the proliferation of such conspiratorial or anti-conspiratorial thinking, and simultaneously also the more difficult purpose of suggesting how to reframe conflict in a different discursive framework, one that does not simply create rhetorical conflict but casts the basis for social action. The problem of conspiracy theories, from a semiotic point of view, lies not in their supposed logical or scientific fallacy, but in the fact that they are a means to voice a social preoccupation that would, otherwise, remain unexpressed, that is, anguish toward the increasing deconstruction of knowledge in the new digital arenas. Semioticians and other social scholars should, therefore, operate not for the debunking of such supposed conspiracy theories, but for the creation of a collective space in which the evident confusion of present-day digital communication could be raised as a problem, discussed, and possibly redirected toward more convenient solutions.

- by Massimo Leone and +11
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- Semiotics, Cultural Studies, Social Psychology, Social Sciences

study of Nazism as an active cataclysmic apocalyptic movement aiming to establish a hierarchical millennial kingdom of racial dominance for Aryans. Explains the anti-semitism as a paranoid, zero-sum supersessionism in which Nazism... more

- by Richard Landes
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- Genocide Studies, Apocalypticism, Political Religion, Second World War

By using the death of President Kennedy in 1963, I analyse how and why conspiracy theory begins and continues. This is extrapolated out into a defence of the freedom of speech, which conspiracy theory relies upon to operate and is... more

- by Joseph Broadbent
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- History, American History, American Studies, American Politics

Conspiracy theories are often compared to clinical delusions and correlations have been found between accepting a conspiracy theory and schizotypal traits. In this paper, we explore some of the similarities and differences between conspiracy theories and persecutory delusions. We compare them in relation to surface features, aetiology, and downstream effects. In relation to surface features and aetiology, we argue that there is some overlap between conspiracy theories and persecutory delusions. In relation to downstream effects, we argue that persecutory delusions are characterized by severe disruption to one's life, whereas conspiracy theories are in general not psychologically harmful to those who accept them. We conclude by commenting on the consequences of comparing conspiracy theories to delusions. Delusions are symptoms of psychiatric disorders and there is a specific kind of stigma often directed at those who suffer from mental illness. The political use of comparing delusions and conspiracy theories-when such comparison is aimed at producing or reinforcing stigmatization and exclusion-is problematic and should be avoided.

- by Lisa Bortolotti
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- Delusions, Belief in Conspiracy Theory

The study of conspiracy theories has undergone a drastic transformation in the last decade. While early scholarly treatments relied on historical cases and cultural analyses, more recent works focus on the individuals who subscribe either to specific conspiracy beliefs or to more generalized conspiratorial thinking. This shift in focus presents scholars with an opportunity to learn more about how and why conspiracy theories gain followers. But also, this new focus presents dangers which have yet to be fully considered by the psychologists, social-psychologists, and political scientists spearheading the research. In this essay, I highlight the potential benefits and pitfalls of the current scholarly agenda.

- by Joe Uscinski
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- Conspiracy Theories, Belief in Conspiracy Theory

Les idées politiques de Lyndon LaRouche. complot extra-terrestre, constitue une source inépuisable de diffusion de théories du complot dans l'opinion publique Américaine. Deux exemples seulement: Conspiracy theory en 1997 avec Mel Gibson ou la série des Bourne movies avec Matt Damon constituent des exemples de la théorie relativement répandue dite des « Black Helicopters » 13 , c'est-à-dire l'idée qu'un complot formé par des militaires et des agents de la CIA dirigerait secrètement les États-Unis. Notons au passage que dans les Bournes movies, l'accent et la figure du personnage jouant le rôle du directeur « conspirasioniste » de la CIA ressemblent étrangement à ceux de Henry Kissinger; la référence antisémite est à peine ésotérique. D'une manière largement intuitive mais néanmoins significative, la collection « Pour les Nuls » publie aux États-Unis, et aux États-Unis seulement, un opus intitulé Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies 14 . Les théories du complot exercent d'ailleurs une telle influence aux États-Unis que le gouvernement fédéral a même mis en place un site internet destiné à désamorcer ces théories 15 . LaRouche, un exemple complexe et atypique de conspirationnisme.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of knowledge in times of crisis. Various conspiratorial meaning-making narratives have been spread since the pandemic began in 2020 to explain to people why the crisis is happening, but also with the intention of consciously manipulating us. The WHO describes an ‘infodemic’ – in other words, a viral spreading of misleading information – which makes it harder for people to understand the seriousness of the disease and what is needed in order to fight it
Conspiracy theories about the origin and spread of the virus, its morbidity and mortality, the political countermeasures, the expertise of public health science and in particular vaccination have influenced and polarised opin-
ion. Conspiratorial ideas about the pandemic not actually existing or being a way of achieving a global dictatorship sow discord and undermine societal and interpersonal trust. Conspiracy theories are a serious threat to Swedish democracy, since they reject or cast suspicion on expertise and state actors, and hasten radicalisation processes. They also prepare the ground for foreign powers’ information influence activities directed at Sweden. There is no doubt that greater knowledge about conspiracy theories is needed within a psycho- logical defence capability.

The female-dominated New Age (with its positive focus on self) and the male-dominated realm of conspiracy theory (with its negative focus on global politics) may seem antithetical. There is a synthesis of the two, however, that we call 'conspirituality'. We define, describe, and analyse this hybrid system of belief; it has been noticed before without receiving much scholarly attention. Conspirituality is a rapidly growing web movement expressing an ideology fuelled by political disillusionment and the popularity of alternative worldviews. It has international celebrities, bestsellers, radio and TV stations. It offers a broad politico-spiritual philosophy based on two core convictions, the first traditional to conspiracy theory, the second rooted in the New Age: 1) a secret group covertly controls, or is trying to control, the political and social order, and 2) humanity is undergoing a 'paradigm shift' in consciousness. Proponents believe that the best strategy for dealing with the threat of a totalitarian 'new world order' is to act in accordance with an awakened 'new paradigm' world view.

- by Charlotte Ward
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- Media Studies, Conspiracy Theories, Media, Conspiracy Theories and Transparency

« L'hystérie anti-maçonnique de la fin des années 1820 ne fut pas une réaction à des dangers imaginaires […] L'idée selon laquelle la franc-maçonnerie menaçait les valeurs démocratiques et chrétiennes était alors une idée très répandue et reposait sur un certain nombre de faits palpables : 1°) la capacité des maçons à détourner la loi pour leur propre compte ; 2°) leur élitisme, réel ou supposé, dans un siècle qui n'avait d'autre ordre que servir l'homme du commun ; 3°) leur tolérantisme en matière spirituelle au plus fort de ce que l'on a appelé le Second Grand Réveil religieux » 1. S'il convient de prime abord de rappeler que le mouvement anti-maçonnique des années 1820 et 1830 fut bien une manifestation d'un conspirationnisme culturel aux États-Unis dans sa manière de dénoncer une omnipotence des francs-maçons, il apparaît en revanche peu satisfaisant de l'envisager comme David Brion Davis à la manière d'une « hystérie populaire » 2 ou de Richard Hofstadter comme l'expression du « style paranoïaque » 3. En effet, l'appréhender de cette manière traduit incontestablement un présupposé intellectuel qui vise à défendre, chez les néoconservateurs de première génération 4 , la thèse du consensus à un moment où des intellectuels comme Kristol, Glazer, Bell ou encore Hofstadter lui-même ont consommé leur rupture avec le communisme pour se rallier au « centre vital » 5 et au libéralisme de Guerre Froide 6. Plus encore, cette interprétation du mouvement anti-maçonnique semble méconnaître, certes de manière moins nette chez Hofstadter que chez Davis, les raisons profondes du mouvement : une soif d'égalité face à des maçons apparaissant comme une « citadelle de privilégiés » 7 , un rejet profond de la présidence d'Andrew Jackson, en particulier du projet de Banque des États-Unis, et un revivialisme religieux. De sorte qu'il semble que le mouvement anti-maçonnique, malgré tous ses excès, doit être vu, dans un

- by Julien GIRY
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- American Politics, Conspiracy Theories, Populism, Conspiracy Culture

In the current research, we investigated whether belief in conspiracy theories satisfies people’s need for uniqueness. We found that the tendency to believe in conspiracy theories was associated with the feeling of possessing scarce information about the situations explained by the conspiracy theories (Study 1) and higher need for uniqueness (Study 2). A further two studies using two different manipulations of need for uniqueness (Studies 3 and 4), showed that people in a high need for uniqueness condition displayed higher conspiracy belief than people in a low need for uniqueness condition. This conclusion is strengthened by a small-scale meta-analysis. These studies suggest that conspiracy theories may serve people’s desire to be unique, highlighting a motivational underpinning of conspiracy belief.

- by Anthony Lantian
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- Conspiracy Theories, Beliefs, Sense of Uniqueness, Beliefs and attitudes

The purpose of this doctoral project is to explore the epistemic issues surrounding the concept of the conspiracy theory and to advance the analysis and evaluation of the conspiracy theory as a mode of explanation. The candidate is interested in the circumstances under which inferring to the truth or likeliness of a given conspiracy theory is, or is not, warranted.

The topic of conspiracy has a perennial fascination. Conspiratorial views of events abound. We in our modern world often still have recourse to conspiracy theories. Sometimes such theories serve to explain the inexplicable. At other times they appear to be developed for motives of political expediency: it is simpler to see political opponents as conspirators and terrorists, putting them into one convenient basket, than to seek to understand and disentangle the complex motivations of opponents. It is not surprising then to see that, just as the French Revolution was the birthplace of the modern political world, so also a constant obsession with conspiracies and conspiracy theory lay at the heart of the revolutionary conception of politics. Sparked by the theories of Furet and the recent research of Tackett, recent debate has returned to the nature and effects of conspiracy during the French Revolution. This book is a comprehensive survey of the nature of conspiracy in the French Revolution, with chapters each written by a leading historian on the question. Each chapter is a research contribution to the topic, written however to include the wider issues for the area concerned. It is therefore accessible and a genuine contribution to our understanding of the French Revolution.

Η πανδημία του κορωνοϊού συνοδεύτηκε από μια πανδημία θεωριών συνωμοσίας, παραπληροφόρησης και εσφαλμένης πληροφόρησης. Σε καταστάσεις κρίσεων - όπως είναι και οι πανδημικές κρίσεις - όπου επικρατεί ο φόβος και η αγωνία και οι άνθρωποι αναζητούν γρήγορες ή/και εύκολες εξηγήσεις, αντίστοιχα φαινόμενα ήταν συχνά παρόντα. Η μελέτη αυτή εξερεύνησε τα αίτια εμφάνισης, τους παράγοντες ενίσχυσης, τα μέσα διάδοσης και τις πηγές προέλευσης τους, καθώς και τους κινδύνους ασφάλειας που απορρέουν από αυτές, ενώ αναζήτησε και τρόπους απόκρισης. Η μελέτη εστίασε ιδιαίτερα στην περίπτωση της Ελλάδας – η οποία, δεν είχε διερευνηθεί ακόμα αρκετά – εξετάζοντας την κατάσταση μέσα από πρωτογενή έρευνα - που συνδύασε ημιδομημένες συνεντεύξεις με εκπροσώπους και στελέχη θεσμικών φορέων και υπηρεσιών πρώτης γραμμής, εκπροσώπους και ειδικούς-ές εμπειρογνώμονες από τον ακαδημαϊκό-ερευνητικό χώρο και την κοινωνία των πολιτών (ποιοτική έρευνα) με διαδικτυακή έρευνα (ποσοτική έρευνα - ερωτηματολόγιο αυτόματης συμπλήρωσης) – και συγκρίνοντας την με την κατάσταση σε άλλες χώρες. Συγκεκριμένα χαρακτηριστικά, προϋπάρχουσες πεποιθήσεις και συνθήκες καθιστούν ορισμένους ανθρώπους ιδιαίτερα ευάλωτους απέναντι σε θεωρίες συνωμοσίας, παραπληροφόρηση ή εσφαλμένη πληροφόρηση για τον κορωνοϊό, ειδικότερα δε εντός μιας κατάστασης κρίσης. Συγκεκριμένοι πολιτικοί-ιδεολογικοί χώροι, εγκληματικά κυκλώματα, κυβερνήσεις και κρατικές υπηρεσίες, ΜΜΕ – και ειδικά όσον αφορά την Ελλάδα – ομάδες αρνητών του κορωνοϊού και κατά των περιοριστικών μέτρων, χρήστες και ομάδες στο διαδίκτυο και στα κοινωνικά δίκτυα, Εκκλησία αλλά και η επιστημονική κοινότητα, παίζουν βασικό ρόλο στην ανά-παραγωγή του φαινομένου. Κοινωνικά δίκτυα, ΜΜΕ στο διαδίκτυο αλλά και διαπροσωπικές επαφές είναι στην Ελλάδα τα βασικά μέσα διάδοσης. Ποικίλοι-ες κίνδυνοι και απειλές για την δημόσια υγεία, την εσωτερική και την εξωτερική/διεθνή ασφάλεια συνδέονται με ανά-παραγωγή αυτών των θεωριών, των εσφαλμένων ή των ψευδών/παραπλανητικών πληροφορίων ή ειδήσεων. Η κατάσταση στην Ελλάδα είναι μάλλον ανησυχητική και σε παρόμοια επίπεδα με άλλες χώρες του δυτικού κόσμου, εντούτοις είναι καλύτερη σε ορισμένους τομείς όπως για παράδειγμα σε επίπεδο καταναλωτικών απατών για «θαυματουργές θεραπείες» ή οργανωμένων συγκεντρώσεων αρνητών του κορωνοϊού. Η ανάγκη λήψης συγκεκριμένων μέτρων σε διάφορα επίπεδα και τομείς είναι επιτακτική.

- by Thanasis Theofilopoulos MA, MSc
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- Propaganda, Security, Security Studies, Conspiracy Theories

This paper examines the widespread belief among American conservatives that the claim of anthropogenic climate change is fraudulent. In this view, scientists, politicians and the media are misleading the public so that the Federal Government and the United Nations will have an excuse to increase taxes and impose their authority on us. The global warming hoax is part of an immense conspiracy to establish a New World Order.

- by Daniel McCarthy
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- Conspiracy Theory, Belief in Conspiracy Theory

- by James Rankin
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- Propaganda, Conspiracy Theories, Hegemony, Conspiracy Theories and Transparency

This article aims to reinvigorate analytical debates on conspiracy theories. It argues that definitional attempts to set conspiracy theories apart from other theories are flawed. Blinded by the “irrational” reputation of conspiracy theories and deluded by the workings of institutionalized power such approaches fail to recognize that there are no inherent differences between the two categories. We argue that assessments of conspiracy theories should focus not on the epistemological qualities of these theories but on their interactions with the socio-political fields through which they travel. Since “conspiracy theory” is not a neutral term but a powerful label, attention to processes of labelling highlights these larger fields of power, while the theories’ trajectories illuminate the mechanisms by which truth and untruth are created. As such, this article offers a way forward for assessing both the truth and use value of conspiracy theories in the contemporary world.

- by Mathijs Pelkmans and +1
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- Critical Theory, Social Theory, Anthropology, Political Philosophy
- by Corine Schleif
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- Iconography, Art History, Renaissance History, Museum Studies