Conspiracy Theories: A Reference Handbook

The book provides a comprehensive guide to conspiracy theories in American life, exploring their origins, types, functions, and widespread appeal. It examines the history of conspiracy theories, including Ancient Greece and Rome, and analyzes current theories such as 9/11, anti-vaccine, COVID, and QAnon. It also highlights the problems created by untrue conspiracy theories, including their negative impact on public debate, trust in others, and efforts to nurture an informed and educated citizenry.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 02 May 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Conspiracy theories have a long and complex history in American life, with roots dating back to Ancient Greece and Rome. They have evolved over time and have become a significant part of American culture. Research has sought to understand the origins, types, functions, and widespread appeal of conspiracy theories. This all-in-one resource provides an accessible overview of conspiracy theories past and present in all their many forms. It outlines the longer history of conspiracy theories, starting with Ancient Greece and Rome and continuing the story up to the present day, including analysis of 9/11, anti-vaccine, COVID, and QAnon theories. It surveys an array of current books and articles to try to understand why people believe in and act on outlandish and evidence-free conspiracy theories. Notably, this resource also outlines the problems created by untrue conspiracy theories in terms of their negative impact on public debate, trust in others, and efforts to nurture an informed and educated citizenry. Instead, many conspiracy claims have become sources of misinformation, cynicism, and polarization. This book will benefit anyone who seeks a pathway through our current epistemic crisis in which the lines between fact and fiction—and between truth and falsehood—have become blurred.

Weight: 584g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781440877704