Jaron Harambam is an interdisciplinary trained sociologist working on news, disinformation, and conspiracy theories in today’s algorithmically structured media ecosystem. He received his PhD in Sociology from Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands (highest distinction), held a postdoctoral research position at the Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is now Marie Sklodowksa-Curie Action Individual Fellowship holder at the Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven, Belgium.

• 1. Introduction 2. Methodology: Studying the Dutch Conspiracy Milieu 3. Contemporary Conspiracy Discourses: How a Power Elite Controls the World 4. From the Unbelievable to the Undeniable: Epistemological Pluralism, or How David Icke Supports His Super Conspiracy Theory 5. Breaking Out of the Matrix: How People Explain Their Biographical Turn to Conspiracy Theories 6. “I Am Not a Conspiracy Theorist” Relational Identifications in the Dutch Conspiracy Milieu 7. Contesting Epistemic Authority : Conspiracy Theorists on the Boundaries of Science 8. Conclusion

Jaron Harambam is an interdisciplinary trained sociologist working on news, disinformation, and conspiracy theories in today’s algorithmically structured media ecosystem. He received his PhD in Sociology from Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands (highest distinction), held a postdoctoral research position at the Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is now Marie Sklodowksa-Curie Action Individual Fellowship holder at the Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven, Belgium.

• 1. Introduction 2. Methodology: Studying the Dutch Conspiracy Milieu 3. Contemporary Conspiracy Discourses: How a Power Elite Controls the World 4. From the Unbelievable to the Undeniable: Epistemological Pluralism, or How David Icke Supports His Super Conspiracy Theory 5. Breaking Out of the Matrix: How People Explain Their Biographical Turn to Conspiracy Theories 6. “I Am Not a Conspiracy Theorist” Relational Identifications in the Dutch Conspiracy Milieu 7. Contesting Epistemic Authority : Conspiracy Theorists on the Boundaries of Science 8. Conclusion

Jaron Harambam is an interdisciplinary trained sociologist working on news, disinformation, and conspiracy theories in today’s algorithmically structured media ecosystem. He received his PhD in Sociology from Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands (highest distinction), held a postdoctoral research position at the Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is now Marie Sklodowksa-Curie Action Individual Fellowship holder at the Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven, Belgium.

• 1. Introduction 2. Methodology: Studying the Dutch Conspiracy Milieu 3. Contemporary Conspiracy Discourses: How a Power Elite Controls the World 4. From the Unbelievable to the Undeniable: Epistemological Pluralism, or How David Icke Supports His Super Conspiracy Theory 5. Breaking Out of the Matrix: How People Explain Their Biographical Turn to Conspiracy Theories 6. “I Am Not a Conspiracy Theorist” Relational Identifications in the Dutch Conspiracy Milieu 7. Contesting Epistemic Authority : Conspiracy Theorists on the Boundaries of Science 8. Conclusion