- Title Pages
- Preface
- Contributors
- 1 Down the Rabbit Hole We Go!
- 2 The History of Conspiracy Theory Research
- Section I What Is a Conspiracy Theory?
- 3 What We Mean When We Say “Conspiracy Theory”
- 4 Conspiracy Theory
- 5 Media Marginalization of Racial Minorities
- 6 Conspiracy Theories and Philosophy
- Section II How Do Conspiracy Theorists and Non-Conspiracy Theorists Interact?
- 7 On the Democratic Problem of Conspiracy Politics
- 8 The Politics of Disruption
- 9 Learning about Conspiracy Theories
- 10 In Whose Hands the Future?
- 11 Conspiracy Theory Phobia
- 12 Conspiracy Thinking, Tolerance, and Democracy
- Section III Are Conspiracy Theories “Anti-Science”?
- 13 Don’t Trust the Scientists! Rejecting the Scientific Consensus “Conspiracy”
- 14 Conspiratorial Thinking and Dueling Fact Perceptions
- 15 The Conspiracy Theory Pyramid Scheme
- Section IV What Is the Psychology of Conspiracy Theorizing?
- 16 Conspiracy Theory Psychology
- 17 Conspiracy Rumor Psychology
- 18 The Truth Is Around Here Somewhere
- Section V What Do Conspiracy Theories Look Like in the United States?
- 19 Conspiracy Theories in U.S. History
- 20 Polls, Plots, and Party Politics
- 21 How Conspiracy Theories Spread
- Section VI What Do Conspiracy Theories Look Like Around the World?
- 22 Who Believes in Conspiracy Theories in Great Britain and Europe?
- 23 Why the Powerful (in Weak States) Prefer Conspiracy Theories
- 24 Conspiracy Theories in Post-Soviet Russia
- 25 The Collective Conspiracy Mentality in Poland
- 26 The Conspiratorial Style in Turkish Politics
- 27 The Hidden and the Revealed
- Section VII How Should We Live with Conspiracy Theories?
- 28 Conspiracy Theories and Religion
- 29 The Credulity of Conspiracy Theorists
- 30 Empowerment as a Tool to Reduce Belief in Conspiracy Theories
- 31 Conspiracy Theories for Journalists
- References
- Index
Down the Rabbit Hole We Go!
Down the Rabbit Hole We Go!
- Chapter:
- (p.1) 1 Down the Rabbit Hole We Go!
- Source:
- Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them
- Author(s):
Joseph E. Uscinski
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Conspiracy theories are not fringe ideas, tucked neatly away in the dark corners of society. They are politically, economically, and socially relevant to all of us. They are intertwined with our everyday lives in countless ways. Just like other ideas, they have consequences which can sometimes be deadly. Conspiracy theories can also encourage good behavior and uncover wrongdoing. Beyond shaping the composition and nature of governments through democratic processes, conspiracy theories exert a profound effect on policy choices. Sometimes this is a top-down process by which political elites use conspiracy rhetoric to justify or propagate particular policies; in other instances conspiracy theories can percolate from the bottom up, and affect policy through direct democracy or by influencing the actions of otherwise nonconspiratorial elites. Conspiracy theories are often discussed, but much less understood. What do we know about conspiracy theories and what answers continue to elude us? What makes conspiracy theories so important now?
Keywords: conspiracy theory, violence, ideology, conspiracist ideation, conspiracy, policy, 2016 election, Trump, Brexit
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- Title Pages
- Preface
- Contributors
- 1 Down the Rabbit Hole We Go!
- 2 The History of Conspiracy Theory Research
- Section I What Is a Conspiracy Theory?
- 3 What We Mean When We Say “Conspiracy Theory”
- 4 Conspiracy Theory
- 5 Media Marginalization of Racial Minorities
- 6 Conspiracy Theories and Philosophy
- Section II How Do Conspiracy Theorists and Non-Conspiracy Theorists Interact?
- 7 On the Democratic Problem of Conspiracy Politics
- 8 The Politics of Disruption
- 9 Learning about Conspiracy Theories
- 10 In Whose Hands the Future?
- 11 Conspiracy Theory Phobia
- 12 Conspiracy Thinking, Tolerance, and Democracy
- Section III Are Conspiracy Theories “Anti-Science”?
- 13 Don’t Trust the Scientists! Rejecting the Scientific Consensus “Conspiracy”
- 14 Conspiratorial Thinking and Dueling Fact Perceptions
- 15 The Conspiracy Theory Pyramid Scheme
- Section IV What Is the Psychology of Conspiracy Theorizing?
- 16 Conspiracy Theory Psychology
- 17 Conspiracy Rumor Psychology
- 18 The Truth Is Around Here Somewhere
- Section V What Do Conspiracy Theories Look Like in the United States?
- 19 Conspiracy Theories in U.S. History
- 20 Polls, Plots, and Party Politics
- 21 How Conspiracy Theories Spread
- Section VI What Do Conspiracy Theories Look Like Around the World?
- 22 Who Believes in Conspiracy Theories in Great Britain and Europe?
- 23 Why the Powerful (in Weak States) Prefer Conspiracy Theories
- 24 Conspiracy Theories in Post-Soviet Russia
- 25 The Collective Conspiracy Mentality in Poland
- 26 The Conspiratorial Style in Turkish Politics
- 27 The Hidden and the Revealed
- Section VII How Should We Live with Conspiracy Theories?
- 28 Conspiracy Theories and Religion
- 29 The Credulity of Conspiracy Theorists
- 30 Empowerment as a Tool to Reduce Belief in Conspiracy Theories
- 31 Conspiracy Theories for Journalists
- References
- Index
