Weaponizing Conspiracy Theories
Eirikur Bergmann, "Weaponizing Conspiracy Theories"
English | ISBN: 1032607386 | 2024 | 138 pages | EPUB | 376 KB
English | ISBN: 1032607386 | 2024 | 138 pages | EPUB | 376 KB
This book analyses the discursive weaponization of conspiracy theories.
In an era where truth and fiction converge, nativist populist leaders wield conspiracy theories as political weapons. This text examines the interplay between populism and conspiracism, probing their impact on democratic processes and exploring their broader political implications. The work dissects three predominant conspiracy theories: The Eurabia theory in Europe, the Deep State in the United States, and anti-Western narratives in Russia. It shows their evolution from fringe ideas to mainstream political tools and reveals the leaders’ triple strategy: Constructing external threats, demonizing internal elites, and positioning themselves as protectors of the ‘true people.’ It also examines how digital media facilitates the spread of these narratives, undermining institutional trust and fuelling extremism.
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