Conspiracy Theories

Joseph E. Uscinski is professor of political science at University of Miami. He is editor of Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them (forthcoming), coauthor of American Conspiracy Theories (2014) and author of The People’s News: Media, Politics, and the Demands of Capitalism (2014). Adam Enders is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Louisville. His research focuses on the role of suspicion and conspiratorial thinking in American mass politics, the influence of core values on political identities and attitudes, and the evolving nature of mass polarization.

• Chapter 1 Why Study Conspiracy Theories?Why Are Conspiracy Theories Important?Kennedy Assassination and Other Conspiracy TheoriesWhy Are Conspiracy Theories Important?The Popular MisconceptionsConspiracy theories are more popular nowConspiracy Theories are ExtremeConspiracy Theories are for the Mentally IllConservatives Believe More Conspiracy Theories than LiberalsConspiracy Theories are More Popular in the US (or in some other place)Plan of the BookChapter 2 What is a Conspiracy Theory?Defining Our TermsConspiracyConspiracy TheoryFalsifiabilityOther Standards for Evaluating Conspiracy Theories The Diversity of Conspiracy TheoriesThe ConspiratorsThe Number of ConspiratorsWhen Do People Conspire? The MethodsThe Goals Conspiracy Theory BeliefsConspiracy ThinkingConspiracy Theorist The Post-Truth World?Anomalous BeliefsConclusionChapter 3 The Popularity of Conspiracy and Anomalous BeliefsMeasurementConspiracy Theories and Poll NumbersImmigration Conspiracy TheoriesGovernment MalfeasanceExtraterrestrial Cover-upMalevolent Global Conspiracies Personal Well-beingControl of InformationAnomalistic BeliefsConclusionChapter 4 The Psychology and Sociology of Conspiracy TheoriesPsychological FactorsCognitive TraitsPersonality TraitsPsychological ConditionsCriticisms of the Psychological ApproachSociological FactorsConclusionChapter 5 The Politics of Conspiracy TheoriesPower and Conspiracy Theories The Locus of PowerPartisan Conspiracy TheorizingOpinion FormationThe Hypodermic Needle TheoryThe Minimal Effects ModelPartisanship and Conspiracy Theory BeliefsSymmetryThe Interaction between Partisanship and Conspiracy Thinking Conspiracy Theories Are for LosersConclusionChapter 6 Donald Trump and the Elections of 2016 and 2020Donald Trump Runs for PresidentAnti-Establishment Orientations Trump-Russia Conspiracy TheoriesConsequences of Conspiracy Theory PoliticsConclusionChapter 7 QAnon, COVID-19, Social Media, and The Era of “Post-truth”QAnonCOVID-19 Conspiracy TheoriesOther Conspiracy Theory Beliefs Over TimeOnline Exposure to Conspiracy TheoriesDoes Online Exposure Spread Conspiracy Theories?The Effect of Conspiracy Theory Beliefs on Deleterious ActionsA New Satanic PanicCurtailing the Spread and Effects of Conspiracy TheoriesConclusionsAppendix

What do conspiracy beliefs mean for current politics, and what drives them? Easily accessible, nuanced, critical, carefully argued, and meticulously sourced, the updated and revised Conspiracy Theories: A Primer is a highly useful introduction for students and lay persons alike. Uscinski and Enders cover the field of contemporary research. They show the broader contexts, address common mistakes, and give the reader the current and best data on different general and specific beliefs.