Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Byford, J

Titel

Conspiracy Theories: A Critical Introduction

Auflage

1

Ort / Verlag

London: Palgrave Macmillan

Erscheinungsjahr

2011

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• 01 02 No event of any significance in the world today – be it an unexpected election result, a terrorist attack, the death of a public figure, a meteorological anomaly, or the flu pandemic – takes place without generating at least a flutter of conspiracy speculations. Conspiracy Theories: A Critical Introduction offers a well informed, highly accessible, and thoroughly engaging introduction to conspiracy theories, discussing their nature and history, causes and consequences. Through a series of specific questions that cut to the core of conspiracism as a global social and cultural phenomenon, the book deconstructs the logic and rhetoric of conspiracy theories and analyses the broader social and psychological factors that contribute to their persistence in modern society. • What are the defining characteristics of conspiracy theories and how do they differ from legitimate inquiries into actual conspiracies? • How long have conspiracy theories been around and to what extent are contemporary versions similar to those of yesteryear? • Why do conspiracy theories all sound alike and what ensures their persistence in modern society? • What psychological benefits do conspiracy theories bring to those who subscribe to them? • Why are conspiracy theories so often mobilized by political forces whose agenda is antithetical to democratic politics? 13 02 JOVAN BYFORD is Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University, UK. He is the author of Denial and Repression of Antisemitism: Post-Communist Remembrance of the Serbian Bishop Nikolaj Velimirovi? (2008) and Conspiracy Theory: Serbia v. the New World Order (2006, in Serbian). 19 02 The book draws on contemporary examples from different cultural contexts and deal with conspiracy theories as a global phenomenon, rather than as a feature of contemporary US culture Examines the basic structure and logic of the conspiratorial argument, outlines the history of conspiracy theories and examines what makes people believe in them  Explores conspiracy theories in relation to anti-semitism and the growth of public anxiety about surveillance and corporate or government plots, and analyses the contribution of political movements, popular culture (novels, films, TV series), and technological advancements (the rise of the internet) to the popularity of conspiracy theories A distinct interdisciplinary focus drawing on literature from history, psychology, sociology, cultural studies, etc. The first book in several decades that deals in more detail with psychological aspects of conspiracy theories 02 02 Through a series of specific questions that cut to the core of conspiracism as a global social and cultural phenomenon this book deconstructs the logic and rhetoric of conspiracy theories and analyses the broader social and psychological factors that contribute to their persistence in modern society. 31 02 An engaging, well informed and accessible introduction to conspiracy theories and their historical, psychological and political dimensions 04 02 List of Figures Acknowledgements Introduction Towards a Definition of Conspiracy Theories Conspiracy Theories and Their Vicissitudes Anatomy of the Conspiracy Theory Conspiracy Theory and Antisemitism Psychology and Conspiracy Theory Conclusion References Index