Michael Barkun, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University, is author of Religion and the Racist Right: The Origins of the Christian Identity Movement (revised edition 1997) and Disaster and the Millennium (1986), among other books.

• Preface Preface to the First Edition 1. The Nature of Conspiracy Belief 2. Millennialism, Conspiracy, and Stigmatized Knowledge 3. New World Order Conspiracies I: The New World Order and the Illuminati 4. New World Order Conspiracies II: A World of Black Helicopters 5. UFO Conspiracy Theories, 1975--1990 6. UFOs Meet the New World Order: Jim Keith and David Icke 7. Armageddon Below 8. UFOs and the Search for Scapegoats I: Anti-Catholicism and Anti-Masonry 9. UFOs and the Search for Scapegoats II: Anti-Semitism among the Aliens 10. September 11 Conspiracies: The First Phase 11. September 11 Conspiracies: The Second Phase 12. Conspiracy Theories about Barack Obama 13. Conspiracists and Violence 14. Apocalyptic Expectations about the Year 2012 15. Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

"Scholarly but fluently written and free of excessive jargon, Barkun’s exploration of the conspiratorial worldview combines sociological depth with a deadpan appreciation of pop culture and raises serious questions about the replacement of democracy by conspiracy as the dominant paradigm of political action in the public mind."

Michael Barkun, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University, is author of Religion and the Racist Right: The Origins of the Christian Identity Movement (revised edition 1997) and Disaster and the Millennium (1986), among other books.

• Preface Preface to the First Edition 1. The Nature of Conspiracy Belief 2. Millennialism, Conspiracy, and Stigmatized Knowledge 3. New World Order Conspiracies I: The New World Order and the Illuminati 4. New World Order Conspiracies II: A World of Black Helicopters 5. UFO Conspiracy Theories, 1975--1990 6. UFOs Meet the New World Order: Jim Keith and David Icke 7. Armageddon Below 8. UFOs and the Search for Scapegoats I: Anti-Catholicism and Anti-Masonry 9. UFOs and the Search for Scapegoats II: Anti-Semitism among the Aliens 10. September 11 Conspiracies: The First Phase 11. September 11 Conspiracies: The Second Phase 12. Conspiracy Theories about Barack Obama 13. Conspiracists and Violence 14. Apocalyptic Expectations about the Year 2012 15. Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

"Scholarly but fluently written and free of excessive jargon, Barkun’s exploration of the conspiratorial worldview combines sociological depth with a deadpan appreciation of pop culture and raises serious questions about the replacement of democracy by conspiracy as the dominant paradigm of political action in the public mind."

Michael Barkun, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University, is author of Religion and the Racist Right: The Origins of the Christian Identity Movement (revised edition 1997) and Disaster and the Millennium (1986), among other books.

• Preface Preface to the First Edition 1. The Nature of Conspiracy Belief 2. Millennialism, Conspiracy, and Stigmatized Knowledge 3. New World Order Conspiracies I: The New World Order and the Illuminati 4. New World Order Conspiracies II: A World of Black Helicopters 5. UFO Conspiracy Theories, 1975--1990 6. UFOs Meet the New World Order: Jim Keith and David Icke 7. Armageddon Below 8. UFOs and the Search for Scapegoats I: Anti-Catholicism and Anti-Masonry 9. UFOs and the Search for Scapegoats II: Anti-Semitism among the Aliens 10. September 11 Conspiracies: The First Phase 11. September 11 Conspiracies: The Second Phase 12. Conspiracy Theories about Barack Obama 13. Conspiracists and Violence 14. Apocalyptic Expectations about the Year 2012 15. Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

"Scholarly but fluently written and free of excessive jargon, Barkun’s exploration of the conspiratorial worldview combines sociological depth with a deadpan appreciation of pop culture and raises serious questions about the replacement of democracy by conspiracy as the dominant paradigm of political action in the public mind."