Popular Culture, Conspiracy Theory, and the Star Trek Text

George A. Gonzalez is professor of political science at the University of Miami.

• Chapter One: The Misuse of Conspiracy Theory Exposed by Star TrekChapter Two: The Metaphysics of Star TrekChapter Three: The Progressive Dialectic of Star TrekChapter Four: The JFK Assassination and the Progressive DialecticChapter Five: Cheney/Trump America as DystopiaChapter Six: War and the Human Mind: Star Trek, Star Wars, and HannaChapter Seven: The Politics of Anger in Neoliberalism: Star Trek, The Expanse, and Veep

“Popular Culture, Conspiracy Theory, and the Star Trek Text is a timely and provocative book written against a background of contemporary American politics, where so much public discussion revolves around conspiracy theories and allegations of conspiracy. Gonzalez makes an important distinction between conspiracy theories, which are elaborate and unsubstantiated narratives, as compared to actual conspiracies, where corporate and political elites covertly engage in illegal or unethical actions to advance their interests at the expense of the American people. The author deploys the Star Trek text to illustrate how charges of conspiracy theory are frequently deployed by elites to discourage the investigation of elite misconduct and to question the mental state of those who engage in legitimate critical thinking about the corruption of capitalist and state elites.”