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| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy Theories in American History Peter Knight, 2003-12-11 The first comprehensive history of conspiracies and conspiracy theories in the United States. Conspiracy Theories in American History: An Encyclopedia is the first comprehensive, research-based, scholarly study of the pervasiveness of our deeply ingrained culture of conspiracy. From the Puritan witch trials to the Masons, from the Red Scare to Watergate, Whitewater, and the War on Terror, this encyclopedia covers conspiracy theories across the breadth of U.S. history, examining the individuals, organizations, and ideas behind them. Its over 300 alphabetical entries cover both the documented records of actual conspiracies and the cultural and political significance of specific conspiracy speculations. Neither promoting nor dismissing any theory, the entries move beyond the usual biased rhetoric to provide a clear-sighted, dispassionate look at each conspiracy (real or imagined). Readers will come to understand the political and social contexts in which these theories arose, the mindsets and motivations of the people promoting them, the real impact of society's reactions to conspiracy fears, warranted or not, and the verdict (when verifiable) that history has passed on each case. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories M R. X. Dentith, 2024-02-15 This book presents state of the art philosophical work on conspiracy theory research that brings in sharp focus on central and important insights concerning the supposed irrationality of conspiracy theory and conspiracy theory belief, while also proposing several novel solutions to long standing issues in the broader academic debate on these things called ‘conspiracy theories’. It features a critical history of conspiracy theory theory, emphasising the role of the ‘first generation’ of philosophers in conspiracy theory research. This book also includes discussions of a range of key issues such as: What counts as conspiracy theory? Who counts as a conspiracy theorist? How are these terms variously understood by academics and the wider public, and Are conspiracy theories automatically suspect, and is it ever reasonable to be a conspiracy theorist? The book then builds upon that work by looking at how people’s political views affect both the conspiracy theories they believe and their beliefs about conspiracy theories; how we might defend conspiracy theorising without endorsing mad, bad or dangerous conspiracy theories; and contains several proposals for unifying conspiracy theory research under one theoretical framework: particularism. This volume will be a key resource for philosophers and social scientists interested in recent work on the philosophy of conspiracy theory theory and its implications for conspiracy theory research. It will also appeal to members of the public, who want to know what, if anything, is wrong with these things called “conspiracy theories”. It was originally published as a special issue of Social Epistemology. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy Ideologies in Films and Series Denis Newiak, Anastasia Schnitzer, 2024-07-19 Corona as a staged instrument of oppression, secretly kept vaccination deaths or politicians drinking children's blood: at the latest since the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic, conspiracy ideologies are booming and harm social peace and democratic will formation through their dogmatism. So-called conspiracy theories generate systematic distrust of legitimate political institutions and can contribute to social polarization, dangerous populism and extremist escalation. Conspiracy ideologies have always been a topic in movies and television series, as they have always dealt with the relationship between reality and illusion, truth and fiction, reality and dream, sense and madness through their cinematic means. Series and films not only serve as a discursive space for social self-understanding, but also, through their complex narratives, constellations of characters and aesthetics, offer catchy explanations for the emergence and spread of conspiracy narratives. At the same time, theymake suggestions, some of them astonishingly concrete, for dealing with such collective delusions. What can we learn from the fictional worlds of series and films for dealing with this very real contemporary phenomenon? |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: American Conspiracy Theories Joseph E. Uscinski, Joseph M. Parent, 2014-08-05 We are living in an age of conspiracy theories, whether it's enduring, widely held beliefs such as government involvement in the Kennedy assassination or alien activity at Roswell, fears of a powerful infiltrating group such as the Illuminati, Jews, Catholics, or communists, or modern fringe movements of varying popularity such as birtherism and trutherism. What is it in American culture that makes conspiracy theories proliferate? Who is targeted, and why? Are we in the heyday of the conspiracy theory, or is it in decline? Though there is significant scholarly literature on the topic in psychology, sociology, philosophy, and more, American Conspiracy Theories is the first to use broad, long-term empirical data to analyze this popular American tendency. Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent draw on three sources of original data: 120,000 letters to the editor of the New York Times and Chicago Tribune from between 1890 and 2010; a two-wave survey from before and after the 2012 presidential election; and discussions of conspiracy theories culled from online news sources, blogs, and other Web sites, also from before and after the election. Through these sources, they are able to address crucial questions, such as similarities and differences in the nature of conspiracy theories over time, the role of the Internet and communications technologies in spreading modern conspiracy theories, and whether politics, economics, media, war, or other factors are most important in popularizing conspiratorial beliefs. Ultimately, they conclude that power asymmetries, both foreign and domestic, are the main drivers behind conspiracy theories, and that those at the bottom of power hierarchies have a strategic interest in blaming those at the top-in other words, conspiracy theories are for losers. But these losers can end up having tremendous influence on the course of history, and American Conspiracy Theories is an unprecedented examination of one of the defining features of American political life. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories Jan-Willem van Prooijen, 2018 Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- CONTENTS -- Preface -- 1 Psychology of conspiracy theories -- 2 When do people believe conspiracy theories? -- 3 The architecture of belief -- 4 The social roots of conspiracy theories -- 5 Conspiracy theories and ideology -- 6 Explaining and reducing conspiracy theories -- Further reading -- Notes -- References |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Creepy Conspiracy Theories Virginia Loh-Hagan, 2018-01-01 Creepy Conspiracy Theories checks out the wildest conspiracy stories in the world--stories too strange to be made up! The book is written with a high interest level to appeal to a more mature audience with a lower level of complexity for struggling readers. Clear visuals and colorful photographs help with comprehension. Fascinating information and wild facts that will hold the readers' interest are conveyed in considerate text for older readers, allowing for successful mastery of content. A table of contents, glossary, and index all enhance comprehension and vocabulary. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories in the Age of Trump Daniel C. Hellinger, 2023-11-25 Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theory in the Age of Trump stands out in the burgeoning literature on conspiracism with its call for political scientists to analyze not only “conspiracy theory” as political pathology but conspiracies themselves as political behavior symbiotically related to moral hazards and other forces unleashed by dark money, disinformation, changing technologies, and globalization. This new updated edition extends this analysis to the belief by many Americans that the 2020 election was stolen, resistance to social measures to counter the Covid epidemic, attempts by Trump and his allies to “stop the steal,” and the resulting mob insurrection at the Capitol on January 6. We likely will see both conspiracism and actual conspiracies play a greater role due to institutional decay in American politics. For this reason, political scientists need to analyse and theorize the role of conspiracies in politics—why they prosper and fail, how conspiracies may inflect political outcomes, what relationship they bear to social forces unleashed by great economic and social change. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy Theories in Eastern Europe Anastasiya Astapova, Onoriu Colăcel, Corneliu Pintilescu, Tamás Scheibner, 2020-10-29 This collection of state-of-the-art essays explores conspiracy cultures in post-socialist Eastern Europe, ranging from the nineteenth century to contemporary manifestations. Conspiracy theories about Freemasons, Communists and Jews, about the Chernobyl disaster, and about George Soros and the globalist elite have been particularly influential in Eastern Europe, but they have also been among the most prominent worldwide. This volume explores such conspiracy theories in the context of local Eastern European histories and discourses. The chapters identify four major factors that have influenced cultures of conspiracy in Eastern Europe: nationalism (including ethnocentrism and antisemitism), the socialist past, the transition period, and globalization. The research focuses on the impact of imperial legacies, nation-building, and the Cold War in the creation of conspiracy theories in Eastern Europe; the effects of the fall of the Iron Curtain and conspiracism in a new democratic setting; and manifestations of viral conspiracy theories in contemporary Eastern Europe and their worldwide circulation with the global rise of populism. Bringing together a diverse landscape of Eastern European conspiracism that is a result of repeated exchange with the West, the book includes case studies that examine the history, legacy, and impact of conspiracy cultures of Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, the former Yugoslav countries, and the former Soviet Union. The book will appeal to scholars and students of conspiracy theories, as well as those in the areas of political science, area studies, media studies, cultural studies, psychology, philosophy, and history, among others. Politicians, educators, and journalists will find this book a useful resource in countering disinformation in and about the region. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy/Theory Joseph Masco, Lisa Wedeen, 2023-12-01 In an era of intensified information warfare, ranging from global disinformation campaigns to individual attention hacks, what are the compelling terms for political judgment? How are we to build the knowledge needed to recognize and address important forms of harm when critical information is either not to be trusted or kept hidden? Rather than approach conspiratorial narrative as an irrational response to an obviously decipherable reality, Conspiracy/Theory identifies important affinities between conspiracy theory and critical theory. It recognizes the motivation people have—in their capacities as experts, theorists, and ordinary citizens—to search for patterns in events, to uncover what is covert and attend to dimensions of life that might be hiding in plain sight. If it seems strange that so many find themselves living in incommensurable, disorienting realities, the multidisciplinary contributors to Conspiracy/Theory explore how and why that came to be. Across history and geography, contributors inquire into the affects and imaginaries of political mobilization, tracking counterrevolutionary projects while acknowledging collective futures that demand conspiratorial engagement. Contributors. Nadia Abu El-Haj, Hussein Ali Agrama, Kathleen Belew, Elizabeth Anne Davis, Joseph Dumit, Faith Hillis, Lochlann Jain, Demetra Kasimis, Susan Lepselter, Darryl Li, Louisa Lombard, Joseph Masco, Robert Meister, Timothy Melley, Rosalind C. Morris, George Shulman, Lisa Wedeen |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy Theories and the People who Believe Them Joseph E. Uscinski, 2019 Conspiracy theories are inevitable in complex human societies. And while they have always been with us, their ubiquity in our political discourse is nearly unprecedented. Their salience has increased for a variety of reasons including the increasing access to information among ordinary people, a pervasive sense of powerlessness among those same people, and a widespread distrust of elites. Working in combination, these factors and many other factors are now propelling conspiracy theories into our public sphere on a vast scale. In recent years, scholars have begun to study this genuinely important phenomenon in a concerted way. In Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them, Joseph E. Uscinski has gathered forty top researchers on the topic to provide both the foundational tools and the evidence to better understand conspiracy theories in the United States and around the world. Each chapter is informed by three core questions: Why do so many people believe in conspiracy theories? What are the effects of such theories when they take hold in the public? What can or should be done about the phenomenon? Combining systematic analysis and cutting-edge empirical research, this volume will help us better understand an extremely important, yet relatively neglected, phenomenon. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theory in Early Modern Europe Barry Coward, Julian Swann, 2017-07-05 For many generations, Guy Fawkes and his gunpowder plot, the 'Man in the Iron Mask' and the 'Devils of Loudun' have offered some of the most compelling images of the early modern period. Conspiracies, real or imagined, were an essential feature of early modern life, offering a seemingly rational and convincing explanation for patterns of political and social behaviour. This volume examines conspiracies and conspiracy theory from a broad historical and interdisciplinary perspective, by combining the theoretical approach of the history of ideas with specific examples from the period. Each contribution addresses a number of common themes, such as the popularity of conspiracy theory as a mode of explanation through a series of original case studies. Individual chapters examine, for example, why witches, religious minorities and other groups were perceived in conspiratorial terms, and how far, if at all, these attitudes were challenged or redefined by the Enlightenment. Cultural influences on conspiracy theory are also discussed, particularly in those chapters dealing with the relationship between literature and politics. As prevailing notions of royal sovereignty equated open opposition with treason, almost any political activity had to be clandestine in nature, and conspiracy theory was central to interpretations of early modern politics. Factions and cabals abounded in European courts as a result, and their actions were frequently interpreted in conspiratorial terms. By the late eighteenth century it seemed as if this had begun to change, and in Britain in particular the notion of a 'loyal opposition' had begun to take shape. Yet the outbreak of the French Revolution was frequently explained in conspiratorial terms, and subsequently European rulers and their subjects remained obsessed with conspiracies both real and imagined. This volume helps us to understand why. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy Theories in American History: N-Z Peter Knight, 2003 The first comprehensive history of conspiracies and conspiracy theories in the United States. A reference guide to conspiracy theory presents over 300 entries describing events and theories, analyzing the historical, intellectual, and political context of each, and offering evidence to support or refute each one. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: A Lot of People Are Saying Nancy L. Rosenblum, Russell Muirhead, 2020-02-18 How the new conspiracists are undermining democracy—and what can be done about it Conspiracy theories are as old as politics. But conspiracists today have introduced something new—conspiracy without theory. And the new conspiracism has moved from the fringes to the heart of government with the election of Donald Trump. In A Lot of People Are Saying, Russell Muirhead and Nancy Rosenblum show how the new conspiracism differs from classic conspiracy theory, how it undermines democracy, and what needs to be done to resist it. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy Theories in the United States and the Middle East Michael Butter, Maurus Reinkowski, 2014-02-27 Conspiracy Theories in the United States and the Middle East is the first book to approach conspiracy theorizing from a decidedly comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. Whereas previous studies have engaged with conspiracy theories within national frameworks only, this collection of essays draws attention to the fact that conspiracist visions are transnational narratives that travel between and connect different cultures. It focuses on the United States and the Middle East because these two regions of the world are entangled in manifold ways and conspiracy theories are currently extremely prominent in both. The contributors to the volume are scholars of Middle Eastern Studies, Anthropology, History, Political Science, Cultural Studies, and American Studies, who approach the subject from a variety of different theories and methodologies. However, all of them share the fundamental assumption that conspiracy theories must not be dismissed out of hand or ridiculed. Usually wrong and frequently dangerous, they are nevertheless articulations of and distorted responses to needs and anxieties that must be taken seriously. Focusing on individual case studies and displaying a high sensitivity for local conditions and the cultural environment, the essays offer a nuanced image of the workings of conspiracy theories in the United States and the Middle East. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Evidence That Demands a Verdict Josh McDowell, Sean McDowell, 2017-10-03 Everything you need to effectively defend the truths of the Bible and the beliefs of the Christian faith. Winner of the 2018 ECPA Christian Book award for Bible Reference Works. The truth of the Bible doesn't change, but its critics do. Now with his son, Sean McDowell, speaker and author Josh McDowell has updated and expanded the modern apologetics classic for a new generation. Evidence That Demands a Verdict provides an expansive defense of Christianity's core truths, rebuttals to some recent and popular forms of skepticism, and insightful responses to the Bible's most difficult and misused passages. It invites readers to bring their doubts and doesn't shy away from the tough questions. Topics and questions are covered in four main parts: Evidence for the Bible Evidence for Jesus Evidence for the Old Testament Evidence for Truth Also included, you'll find: An introduction about the biblical mandate to defend one's faith and why our faith is built on facts. A prologue describing why we live in a theistic universe. A closing response to the specific challenges of atheist New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman. Two reflections: How to Know God Personally and He Changed My Life. Serving as a go-to reference for even the toughest questions, Evidence that Demands a Verdict continues to encourage and strengthen millions by providing Christians the answers they need to defend their faith against the harshest critics and skeptics. Here's a treasure trove of apologetic gems! This is an indispensable book that all Christians should keep within reach. —Lee Strobel, bestselling author of The Case for Christ |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Routledge Handbook of Conspiracy Theories Michael Butter, Peter Knight, 2020-02-17 Taking a global and interdisciplinary approach, the Routledge Handbook of Conspiracy Theories provides a comprehensive overview of conspiracy theories as an important social, cultural and political phenomenon in contemporary life. This handbook provides the most complete analysis of the phenomenon to date. It analyses conspiracy theories from a variety of perspectives, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. It maps out the key debates, and includes chapters on the historical origins of conspiracy theories, as well as their political significance in a broad range of countries and regions. Other chapters consider the psychology and the sociology of conspiracy beliefs, in addition to their changing cultural forms, functions and modes of transmission. This handbook examines where conspiracy theories come from, who believes in them and what their consequences are. This book presents an important resource for students and scholars from a range of disciplines interested in the societal and political impact of conspiracy theories, including Area Studies, Anthropology, History, Media and Cultural Studies, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Them Jon Ronson, 2011-06-28 A wide variety of extremist groups -- Islamic fundamentalists, neo-Nazis -- share the oddly similar belief that a tiny shadowy elite rule the world from a secret room. In Them, journalist Jon Ronson has joined the extremists to track down the fabled secret room. As a journalist and a Jew, Ronson was often considered one of Them but he had no idea if their meetings actually took place. Was he just not invited? Them takes us across three continents and into the secret room. Along the way he meets Omar Bakri Mohammed, considered one of the most dangerous men in Great Britain, PR-savvy Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Thom Robb, and the survivors of Ruby Ridge. He is chased by men in dark glasses and unmasked as a Jew in the middle of a Jihad training camp. In the forests of northern California he even witnesses CEOs and leading politicians -- like Dick Cheney and George Bush -- undertake a bizarre owl ritual. Ronson's investigations, by turns creepy and comical, reveal some alarming things about the looking-glass world of us and them. Them is a deep and fascinating look at the lives and minds of extremists. Are the extremists onto something? Or is Jon Ronson becoming one of them? |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Real Enemies Kathryn S. Olmsted, 2011-03-11 This timely book links the explosion of conspiracy theories about the U.S. government in recent years to the revelations of real government conspiracies. It traces anti-government theories from the birth of the modern state in World War I to the current war on terror. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy Michael Shermer, 2022-10-25 A well-written and essential tool for those navigating today's complicated geopolitical landscape.—Library Journal Best-selling author Michael Shermer presents an overarching theory of conspiracy theories—who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Nothing happens by accident, everything is connected, and there are no coincidences: that is the essence of conspiratorial thinking. Long a fringe part of the American political landscape, conspiracy theories are now mainstream: 147 members of Congress voted in favor of objections to the 2020 presidential election based on an unproven theory about a rigged electoral process promoted by the mysterious group QAnon. But this is only the latest example in a long history of ideas that include the satanic panics of the 1980s, the New World Order and Vatican conspiracy theories, fears about fluoridated water, speculations about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and the notions that the Sandy Hook massacre was a false-flag operation and 9/11 was an inside job. In Conspiracy, Michael Shermer presents an overarching review of conspiracy theories—who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Trust in conspiracy theories, he writes, cuts across gender, age, race, income, education level, occupational status—and even political affiliation. One reason that people believe these conspiracies, Shermer argues, is that enough of them are real that we should be constructively conspiratorial: elections have been rigged (LBJ's 1948 Senate race); medical professionals have intentionally harmed patients in their care (Tuskegee); your government does lie to you (Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Afghanistan); and, tragically, some adults do conspire to sexually abuse children. But Shermer reveals that other factors are also in play: anxiety and a sense of loss of control play a role in conspiratorial cognition patterns, as do certain personality traits. This engaging book will be an important read for anyone concerned about the future direction of American politics, as well as anyone who's watched friends or family fall into patterns of conspiratorial thinking. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: 63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want You to Read Jesse Ventura, Dick Russell, 2011-05-02 The official spin on numerous government programs is flat-out bullshit, according to Jesse Ventura. In this incredible collection of actual government documents, Ventura, the ultimate non- partisan truth-seeker, proves it beyond any doubt. He and Dick Russell walk readers through 63 of the most incriminating programs to reveal what really happens behind the closed doors. In addition to providing original government data, Ventura discusses what it really means and how regular Americans can stop criminal behavior at the top levels of government and in the media. Among the cases discussed: • The CIA’s top-secret program to control human behavior • Operation Northwoods—the military plan to hijack airplanes and blame it on Cuban terrorists • The discovery of a secret Afghan archive—information that never left the boardroom • Potentially deadly healthcare cover-ups, including a dengue fever outbreak • What the Department of Defense knows about our food supply—but is keeping mum Although these documents are now in the public domain, the powers that be would just as soon they stay under wraps. Ventura’s research and commentary sheds new light on what they’re not telling you—and why it matters. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: A Culture of Conspiracy Michael Barkun, 2013-08-15 It is well known that some Americans are obsessed with conspiracies. Films, best-selling books, and television shows talk about plots by the Illuminati or sightings of black helicopters. But American society has changed dramatically since A Culture of Conspiracy was first published in 2001. In this revised and expanded edition, leading expert Michael Barkun delves deeper into America's conspiracy subculture, exploring the rise of 9/11 conspiracy theories, the birther controversy surrounding Barack Obama's American citizenship, and how the conspiracy landscape has changed with the rise of the Internet and other new media. Unraveling the extraordinary genealogies and permutations of these increasingly widespread conspiracies, Barkun shows how the web of urban legends has spread among subcultures on the Internet and through mass media, how a new style of conspiracy thinking has recently arisen, and how this phenomenon relates to larger changes in American culture. By looking closely at the manifestations of these ideas in a wide range of literature and source material, Barkun finds that America is in the throes of an unrivaled period of millenarian activity and underscores the importance of understanding why this phenomenon is permeating segments of mainstream American culture. Book jacket. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: A Culture of Conspiracy Michael Barkun, 2003 Unravelling the genealogies and permutations of conspiracist worldviews, this work shows how this web of urban legends has spread among sub-cultures on the Internet and through mass media, and how this phenomenon relates to larger changes in American culture. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Suspicious Minds Rob Brotherton, 2017-01-03 Suspicious Minds decodes the psychology of why we all believe in conspiracy theories--some of us just hide it better than others. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Bible Prophecy: 22 Reasons Why Time May Be Short Richie Cooley, 2018-10-07 This booklet examines the evidence that the days of eschatological realization may be fast approaching. It is designed to encourage believers and to cause people outside of Christianity to consider the Bible's amazing prophecies. This is the new, edited version. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century Cynthia C. Combs, 2022-07-29 Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century helps readers understand terrorism, responses to it, and current trends that affect the future of this phenomenon. Putting terrorism into historical perspective and analysing it as a form of political violence, this text presents the most essential concepts, the latest data, and numerous case studies to promote effective analysis of terrorist acts. Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century objectively breaks down the who-what- why-how of terrorism, giving readers a way both to understand patterns of behavior and to more critically evaluate forthcoming patterns. New to the Ninth Edition: Uses a key contemporary challenge of terrorism—the emerging radicalization via social media platforms—as a thread to link its chapters, especially in terms of domestic terror threats and the rise of the far right in the US and abroad. Discusses the evolving fifth wave of modern terrorism, linking and radicalizing groups and individuals in all parts of the globe, recruiting individuals for terrorist acts in their own states and drawing them into international confrontations. Compares the profile of domestic extremists over time up to the Capitol rioters of January 2021. Includes new and updated case studies on a wide variety of terror phenomena including the Covid-19 pandemic, Q’Anon, the Boogaloo Movement, the Proud Boys, and the War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, among several others. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: DemoCRIPS and ReBLOODlicans Jesse Ventura, Dick Russell, 2012-06-11 DemoCRIPS and ReBLOODlicans uncovers the truth about how corporations have bought the American electoral and legislative process through the power of lobbyists, campaign contributions, and political action committees. Using historical details, such as the development of the two-party system and the advent of third-party candidates throughout U.S. history, DemoCRIPS and ReBLOODlicans exposes how the two major parties have allowed corporations, businesses, and politically-motivated wealthy individuals to manipulate elections, bribe elected officials, and silence the average American voter. Exposing the ineptitude and gang-like mentalities of both parties, Ventura advocates the replacement of the two-party system with a no-party system based on the ideals of our Founding Fathers. As election time rolls around, this is most certainly the book that should be looked at for reforming our electoral system. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Navigating Social Journalism Martin Hirst, 2018-10-17 Public trust in the once powerful institutions of the News Establishment is declining. Sharing, curating and producing news via social media channels may offer an alternative, if the difficult process of verification can be mastered by social journalists operating outside of the newsroom. Navigating Social Journalism examines the importance of digital media literacy and how we should all be students of the media. Author Martin Hirst emphasizes the responsibility that individuals should take when consuming the massive amounts of media we encounter on a daily basis. This includes information we gather from online media, streaming, podcasts, social media and other formats. The tools found here will help students critically evaluate any incoming media and, in turn, produce their own media with their own message. This book aims both to help readers understand the current state of news media through theory and provide practical techniques and skills to partake in constructive social journalism. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: The Psychology of Conspiracy Michal Bilewicz, Aleksandra Cichocka, Wiktor Soral, 2015-05-15 Why did the third World Trade Center building (WTC7) collapse on September 11th , even though it was not struck by any aircraft? Why did Princess Diana’s drunk driver look sober as he climbed into the car minutes before their deadly accident? Could a slender birch tree really have caused the plane crash which killed the President of Poland in 2010? ‘Conspiracy thinking’ – the search for explanations of significant global events in clandestine plots, suppressed knowledge and the secret actions of elite groups – provides simple and logical answers to the social doubts and uncertainties that occur at times of major national and international crises. Contemporary social psychology seeks to explain the human motivation to create, share and receive conspiracy theories, and to shed light on the consequences of these theories for people’s social and political functioning. This important collection, written by leading researchers in the field, is the first to apply quantitative empirical findings to the subject of conspiracy theorizing. The first section of the book explores conspiracy theories in the context of group perception and intergroup relations, paying particular attention to anti-Semitic conspiracy stereotypes. It then goes on to examine the relationship between an individual’s political ideology and the degree to which they engage in ‘conspiracy thinking’. The concluding part of the book considers the explanatory power of conspiracy, focusing on the link between social paranoia and digital media, and highlighting the social, political, and environmental consequences of conspiracy theories. The Psychology of Conspiracy will be of great interest to academics and researchers in social and political psychology, and a valuable resource to those in the fields of social policy, anthropology, political science, and cultural studies. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Secrets, Plots & Hidden Agendas Paul T. Coughlin, 1999 Paul Coughlin summarizes the main ideas conspiracy theorists have about a one-world government, the role of the media, endtimes teaching and the Jewish community, offering clear, objective data about secret plots. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Conspiracy Theories Quassim Cassam, 2019-11-01 9/11 was an inside job. The Holocaust is a myth promoted to serve Jewish interests. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a false flag operation. Climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government. These are all conspiracy theories. A glance online or at bestseller lists reveals how popular some of them are. Even if there is plenty of evidence to disprove them, people persist in propagating them. Why? Philosopher Quassim Cassam explains how conspiracy theories are different from ordinary theories about conspiracies. He argues that conspiracy theories are forms of propaganda and their function is to promote a political agenda. Although conspiracy theories are sometimes defended on the grounds that they uncover evidence of bad behaviour by political leaders, they do much more harm than good, with some resulting in the deaths of large numbers of people. There can be no clearer indication that something has gone wrong with our intellectual and political culture than the fact that conspiracy theories have become mainstream. When they are dangerous, we cannot afford to ignore them. At the same time, refuting them by rational argument is difficult because conspiracy theorists discount or reject evidence that disproves their theories. As conspiracy theories are so often smokescreens for political ends, we need to come up with political as well as intellectual responses if we are to have any hope of defeating them. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Rights, Bodies and Recognition Daniel Breazeale, Tom Rockmore, 2006 The essays in this volume focus on Fichte's contributions in political theory as set out in his 'Foundations of Natural Right', examining such issues as Fichte's role as a social contract theorist, his theory of gender relations, and his theories on punishment and criminal law. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Lessons in Diplomacy Leigh Turner, 2024-09-24 Is a diplomat’s life really as glamorous as a royal visit, or as dramatic as a coup d’état in Turkey? Leigh Turner is a former British ambassador who led posts in Ukraine, Turkey and Austria. In this witty globe-trotting adventure through one of the most intriguing careers a person can have, Leigh relates his interactions with royalty of both the aristocratic and celebrity kinds, and with brilliant and extraordinary people who bestowed valuable lessons. Offering astute reflections on Brexit, Russia’s war with Ukraine and the chaos of modern politics, he sheds new light on the intricacies of modern statecraft, including what we all can learn from a good diplomat or ambassador. In this entertaining and accessible first-hand account, you’ll discover how diplomats really work with spies, how immunity allows killers to escape justice, how Russia broke up the Soviet Union and then nursed its resentment at the consequences -- and how to throw, and be invited to, a great cocktail party. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Billionaires in World Politics Peter Hägel, 2020-12-07 Billionaires in World Politics shows how the privatization of politics assumes a new dimension when billionaires wield power in world politics, which requires a re-thinking of individual agency in International Relations. Structural changes (globalization, neoliberalism, competition states, and global governance) have generated new opportunities for individuals to become extremely rich and to engage in politics across borders. The political agency of billionaires is being conceptualized in terms of capacities, goals, and power, which is contingent upon the specific political field a billionaire is trying to enter. Six case studies explore the power of billionaires in their pursuit of security, wealth, and esteem. The chapter on security analyzes Raj Rajaratnam's relationship to the Tamil cause in Sri Lanka, and Sheldon Adelson's transnational electioneering in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Regarding the economy, the book studies how the Koch brothers' political protection of fossil fuels is affecting climate change mitigation, and how Rupert Murdoch's opinion-shaping is valorizing conservatism across borders. The chapter on social entrepreneurship and esteem examines the role of Bill Gates in the governance of global health and George Soros's attempts to build open societies as a 'stateless statesman'. An analytical conclusion evaluates the prior findings in order to address three major questions: Is it more appropriate to see billionaires as 'super-actors', or as a global 'super-class'? What is the relative power of billionaires within the international system? What does the power of billionaires mean for the liberal norms of legitimate political order? |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): The Impact and Role of Mass Media During the Pandemic Patrícia Arriaga, Francisco Esteves, Marina A. Pavlova, Nuno Guerreiro Piçarra, 2021-10-13 |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Knowledge Goes Pop Clare Birchall, 2006-09-05 A voice on late night radio tells you that a fast food restaurant injects its food with drugs that make men impotent. A colleague asks if you think the FBI was in on 9/11. An alien abductee on the Internet claims extra-terrestrials have planted a microchip in her body. Julia Roberts in Porn Scandal shouts the front page of a gossip mag. A spiritual healer claims he can cure chronic fatigue syndrome with the energizing power of crystals . . . What do you believe? Knowledge Goes Pop examines the popular knowledges that saturate our everyday experience. We make this information and then it shapes the way we see the world. How valid is it when compared to official knowledge and why does such (mis)information cause so much institutional anxiety? This book examines the range of knowledge, from conspiracy theory to plain gossip, and its role and impact in our culture. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Psychological Insights on the Role and Impact of the Media During the Pandemic Barrie Gunter, 2022-07-12 This volume places the spotlight on the role different media and communications systems played in informing the public about the pandemic, shaping their views about what was happening and contributing to behavioural compliances with pandemic-related restrictions. Throughout the pandemic, media coverage has played an important role in drawing attention to specific messages, influencing public risk perceptions and fear responses. Mainstream media and other electronic communication systems such as Facebook and WhatsApp have been pivotal in getting pandemic information out to the public, thereby influencing their beliefs, attitudes and behaviour and engaging them generally in the pandemic as stakeholders. In this timely volume, author Barrie Gunter considers how people reacted to this coverage and its contribution to their understanding of what was going on, including the influence of fake news and misinformation on public beliefs about the pandemic, from anti-lockdown protests to the anti-vaxx movement. In addition, looking at how government messaging was not always consistent or clear and how different authorities were found not always to be in harmony or compliance with the messages they put out, Gunter examines the harm done by presenting different publics with ambiguous or conflicting narratives. Drawing out important communications strategy lessons to be learned for the future, this is essential reading for students and researchers in psychology, public health and medical sciences and for policymakers who assess government strategies, responses and performance. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: The Global Impact of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion Esther Webman, 2012-03-29 Since it was compiled in the early 20th Century, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion has attracted the interest of politicians and academicians, and generated extensive research. Exploring the tract’s successful dissemination and examining the impact of the Protocols across the world, this book attempts to understand its continuing popularity, one hundred years after its first appearance, in so many diverse societies and cultures. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Tragedy Plus Time Philip Scepanski, 2021-04-06 Following the most solemn moments in recent American history, comedians have tested the limits of how soon is “too soon” to joke about tragedy. Comics confront the horrifying events and shocking moments that capture national attention and probe the acceptable, or “sayable,” boundaries of expression that shape our cultural memory. In Tragedy Plus Time, Philip Scepanski examines the role of humor, particularly televised comedy, in constructing and policing group identity and memory in the wake of large-scale events. Tragedy Plus Time is the first comprehensive work to investigate tragedy-driven comedy in the aftermaths of such traumas as the JFK assassination and 9/11, as well as during the administration of Donald Trump. Focusing on the mass publicization of television comedy, Scepanski considers issues of censorship and memory construction in the ways comedians negotiate emotions, politics, war, race, and Islamophobia. Amid the media frenzy and conflicting expressions of grief following a public tragedy, comedians provoke or risk controversy to grapple publicly with national traumas that all Americans are trying to understand for themselves. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: Real Enemies Kathryn S. Olmsted, 2009-01-02 Many Americans believe that their own government is guilty of shocking crimes. Government agents shot the president. They faked the moon landing. They stood by and allowed the murders of 2,400 servicemen in Hawaii. Although paranoia has been a feature of the American scene since the birth of the Republic, in Real Enemies Kathryn Olmsted shows that it was only in the twentieth century that strange and unlikely conspiracy theories became central to American politics. In particular, she posits World War I as a critical turning point and shows that as the federal bureaucracy expanded, Americans grew more fearful of the government itself--the military, the intelligence community, and even the President. Analyzing the wide-spread suspicions surrounding such events as Pearl Harbor, the JFK assassination, Watergate, and 9/11, Olmsted sheds light on why so many Americans believe that their government conspires against them, why more people believe these theories over time, and how real conspiracies--such as the infamous Northwoods plan--have fueled our paranoia about the governments we ourselves elect. |
| 13 reasons why conspiracy theories: The Veil of Deception Pasquale De Marco, 2025-04-28 Prepare to embark on a groundbreaking exploration of the enigmatic world of UFOs and extraterrestrial phenomena in The Veil of Deception. This meticulously researched and thought-provoking book takes you on a journey through the depths of this fascinating subject, delving into the evidence, the theories, and the personal accounts that have shaped our understanding of UFOs. From ancient sightings to modern encounters, The Veil of Deception traces the evolution of UFOlogy, examining the key figures, organizations, and events that have shaped this field of study. With a critical eye, the book analyzes the scientific, psychological, and cultural aspects of UFOs, seeking to understand their impact on society and the implications they may hold for our understanding of the universe. Through a series of captivating chapters, The Veil of Deception introduces you to a diverse cast of characters, from scientists and skeptics to experiencers and contactees. You'll examine the evidence, both physical and anecdotal, that suggests the existence of UFOs, and explore the various theories that attempt to explain their origin and purpose. But The Veil of Deception goes beyond the realm of physical evidence, delving into the realm of consciousness and exploring the role that our own minds may play in shaping our perception of UFOs. The book examines the psychological and spiritual aspects of the phenomenon, seeking to understand the profound impact that UFO experiences can have on those who encounter them. As you journey through the pages of The Veil of Deception, you'll encounter mysteries that defy easy explanation, paradoxes that challenge our understanding of reality, and questions that may forever remain unanswered. Yet, it is in the pursuit of these mysteries that this book invites you to embark on an extraordinary voyage of discovery, seeking not only to unravel the secrets of UFOs, but also to expand our understanding of the universe and our place within it. If you like this book, write a review on google books! |
Why Humans Are Vulnerable to Conspiracy Theories
As psychiatrists, we need to be alert to the fact that many of our patients are vulnerable to medical misinformation and conspiracy theories about critically important medical is-sues, from …
WHY WE BELIEVE CONSPIRACY THEORIES - JSTOR
False conspiracy theories can drive people to violence, as they did for the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, and affect political activity. Anxious people are especially drawn to conspiratorial …
Behind the Belief: Predictors of Why People Believe in …
Using the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, I will look into the various variables that play leading factors in why people are influenced into believing conspiracy theories. Also, …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories (book)
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories: Conspiracy Theories Joseph E Uscinski,Adam M Enders,2023-03-15 The second edition updated throughout and now including Covid 19 and …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories
WEBsociety’s health at risk. Conspiracy theories have also been closely linked to prejudice and racial violence. Historically and across the globe, conspiracy theories have played prominent …
The Conspiratorial Mind: A Meta-Analytic Review of …
people to endorse conspiracy theories (see Douglas et al., 2017), a recent preprint examined said motivational domains in relation to conspiratorial ideation (Biddlestone et al., 2022;seeTable …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories - Piedmont University
conspiracy theories? Do they share general causes? Are they becoming more common? More dangerous? Who is targeted and why? Who are the conspiracy theorists? How has technology …
Conspiracy Theorists and Monological Belief Systems
Recent scholarship has claimed to show that conspiracy theorists are prone to simultaneously believe mutually contradictory conspiracy theories, as well as be-lieve entirely made up …
Why ‘Healthy Conspiracy Theories’ Are (Oxy)morons
According to the "healthy" view, we should consider each conspiracy theory on its own merits (particularism), and not discard all of them as non-rational beliefs (generalism), given that some...
Why Believe Conspiracy Theories? - SAGE Journals
Conspiracy theories can bolster existing ideological beliefs, help people find social connection, offer meaning and distinction, and promise certainty, justice, and order.
What Drives Conspiratorial Beliefs?
Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? This study breaks from much previous research and attempts to explain conspiratorial beliefs with traditional theories of opinion formation.
Why do people believe 9/11 was an inside job? - Phys.org
Why do people believe 9/11 was an inside job? The reasons why some people believe bizarre conspiracy theories are set to be explored in a new project by a philosopher from the …
WHY DO WE BELIEVE IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES?
conspiracy theories because they reduce complexity and provide straightforward answers. This is why conspiracy theories became so visible when the Europeans countries went into the first …
Conspiracy Theories, Discourse Analysis and Narratology
about conspiracy theories in terms of the following questions: how can it be that so many conspiracy theories swirl around? Why do so many people believe in them?
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories (2024)
scientific results Conspiracy Theories and the Failure of Intellectual Critique argues that social scientists who study conspiracy theories and or conspiracy theorists would do well to better …
Understanding Conspiracy Theories - JSTOR
"Conspiracy theories" are attempts to explain the ultimate causes of significant social and political events and circumstances with claims of secret plots by two or more powerful actors …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories [PDF]
American Conspiracy Theories Joseph E. Uscinski,Joseph M. Parent,2014 Conspiracies theories are some of the most striking features in the American political landscape the Kennedy …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories
conspiracy theories? Do they share general causes? Are they becoming more common? More dangerous? Who is targeted and why? Who are the conspiracy theorists? How has technology …
Is Belief in Conspiracy Theories Pathological? A Survey
Apr 8, 2015 · theories links belief to social stresses or personality type, and does not take into account the situational and fluctuating nature of attitudes. In this study, a survey experiment, …
Why Humans Are Vulnerable to Conspiracy Theories
As psychiatrists, we need to be alert to the fact that many of our patients are vulnerable to medical misinformation and conspiracy theories about critically important medical is-sues, from …
WHY WE BELIEVE CONSPIRACY THEORIES - JSTOR
False conspiracy theories can drive people to violence, as they did for the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, and affect political activity. Anxious people are especially drawn to conspiratorial …
Behind the Belief: Predictors of Why People Believe in …
Using the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, I will look into the various variables that play leading factors in why people are influenced into believing conspiracy theories. Also, …
Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological …
We propose that people possess a functionally integrated mental system to detect conspiracies that in all likelihood has been shaped in an ancestral human environment in which hostile …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories (book)
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories: Conspiracy Theories Joseph E Uscinski,Adam M Enders,2023-03-15 The second edition updated throughout and now including Covid 19 and …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories
WEBsociety’s health at risk. Conspiracy theories have also been closely linked to prejudice and racial violence. Historically and across the globe, conspiracy theories have played prominent …
The Conspiratorial Mind: A Meta-Analytic Review of …
people to endorse conspiracy theories (see Douglas et al., 2017), a recent preprint examined said motivational domains in relation to conspiratorial ideation (Biddlestone et al., 2022;seeTable …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories - Piedmont University
conspiracy theories? Do they share general causes? Are they becoming more common? More dangerous? Who is targeted and why? Who are the conspiracy theorists? How has technology …
Conspiracy Theorists and Monological Belief Systems
Recent scholarship has claimed to show that conspiracy theorists are prone to simultaneously believe mutually contradictory conspiracy theories, as well as be-lieve entirely made up …
Why ‘Healthy Conspiracy Theories’ Are (Oxy)morons
According to the "healthy" view, we should consider each conspiracy theory on its own merits (particularism), and not discard all of them as non-rational beliefs (generalism), given that some...
Why Believe Conspiracy Theories? - SAGE Journals
Conspiracy theories can bolster existing ideological beliefs, help people find social connection, offer meaning and distinction, and promise certainty, justice, and order.
What Drives Conspiratorial Beliefs?
Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? This study breaks from much previous research and attempts to explain conspiratorial beliefs with traditional theories of opinion formation.
Why do people believe 9/11 was an inside job? - Phys.org
Why do people believe 9/11 was an inside job? The reasons why some people believe bizarre conspiracy theories are set to be explored in a new project by a philosopher from the …
WHY DO WE BELIEVE IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES? - Cicero …
conspiracy theories because they reduce complexity and provide straightforward answers. This is why conspiracy theories became so visible when the Europeans countries went into the first …
Conspiracy Theories, Discourse Analysis and Narratology
about conspiracy theories in terms of the following questions: how can it be that so many conspiracy theories swirl around? Why do so many people believe in them?
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories (2024)
scientific results Conspiracy Theories and the Failure of Intellectual Critique argues that social scientists who study conspiracy theories and or conspiracy theorists would do well to better …
Understanding Conspiracy Theories - JSTOR
"Conspiracy theories" are attempts to explain the ultimate causes of significant social and political events and circumstances with claims of secret plots by two or more powerful actors …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories [PDF]
American Conspiracy Theories Joseph E. Uscinski,Joseph M. Parent,2014 Conspiracies theories are some of the most striking features in the American political landscape the Kennedy …
13 Reasons Why Conspiracy Theories
conspiracy theories? Do they share general causes? Are they becoming more common? More dangerous? Who is targeted and why? Who are the conspiracy theorists? How has technology …
Is Belief in Conspiracy Theories Pathological? A Survey
Apr 8, 2015 · theories links belief to social stresses or personality type, and does not take into account the situational and fluctuating nature of attitudes. In this study, a survey experiment, …
