Podcast appearances and mentions of Joseph Uscinski

In a world full of media, which may contain misinformation or fake news, there are conspiracy theories abounding. However, conspiracy theories, and the spreading of those theories, are not a new practice, it has been around and transmitted in any way that people communicate. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Joseph Uscinski talk about the origin of conspiracy theories and how these formal theories differ (and are similar) to the fake news and misinformation that fills our media screens today. They discuss some of the earliest US conspiracy theories, as well as some of the more modern ones, and how they are different now, with our current political climate, from what they may have done in the past. They also discuss why people believe these conspiracy theories, as well as why people believe in them, even in the face of refuting evidence.   Key Takeaways: The internet did not introduce the spread of conspiracy theories. They will always be spread in any way that people communicate. Our worldviews impact the media that we access, which then can filter which conspiracy theories we are likely to believe. The two most consistent predictors of those who believe in conspiracy theories are education and level of income.   "Most of the arguments about evidence, really aren't about evidence - they're just about subjective judgments about evidence, which gets us away from evidence and gets us back into how people interpret information and what the world views are they bring into interpreting that information." —  Dr. Joseph Uscinski   Connect with Dr. Joseph Uscinski: Twitter: @JoeUscinski  Website: JoeUscinski.com  Books: American Conspiracy Theories & Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them     Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

From immigrants eating pets, to Jewish space lasers starting wildfires, to 9/11 ‘trutherism', our disordered world – and particularly the rhetoric surrounding the 2024 US Election – is awash with conspiracy theories. Are these theories: ways of venting anti-establishment anger, merely entertaining distractions, dangerous socially acceptable ways of conveying hate for minorities, or do they actually convey meaningful calls to revolutionary political action? What is the hidden meaning encoded in the plot lines and specific tropes of particular popular conspiracy theories? And why do neo-populist leaders push – and anti-establishment voters believe in them? Are conspiracy theories inherently ‘disordering' and do they make it more difficult for today's politicians to solve pressing challenges?    To explore this complex world, Jason Pack is joined by Joseph Uscinski. He is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami, author of ‘Conspiracy Theories: A Primer', and editor of Conspiracy ‘Theories and the People Who Believe Them'.    Throughout the episode, Jason engages in a conspiracy to come up with a unified field theory of how to unlock the meaning of conspiracy theories. Joe rains on his parade, rejecting most of Jason's pet theories, while unsurprisingly approving of his own pet theory: ‘Conspiracy Theories are for Losers and express a coherent world view that suits those without economic or political power'.    Jason and Joe discuss how conspiracy theories have become intertwined with certain types of modern political movements (especially disordering neo-populist ones), the psychological and social factors that motivate belief in conspiracy theories, the role of antisemitism throughout much conspiratorial thinking, and how these theories often target marginalised groups. The show closes with various sharp debates like over whether entertainment value or calls to political action have key roles to play in the spread of conspiracy theories. Lastly, when they Order the Disorder, Jason and Joe disagree vehemently over the role of global institutions should play in curtailing the spread of conspiracy theories.    Producer: George McDonagh  Exec Producer: Neil Fearn    Subscribe to our Substack: https://natoandtheged.substack.com/ to get the special substack-only second episode on Backgammon and Politics with former World Champion of Backgammon Sander Lylloff which drops tomorrow October 23rd      Show Notes Links    For various experts who think Conspiracy Theories entail and motivate actions: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/marianna-in-conspiracyland/id1690561703?i=1000616687886     Get Joseph's book, Conspiracy Theories: A Primer: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/conspiracy-theories-joseph-e-uscinski/1133459048     Listen to Joseph explain conspiracy theories and the people who believe them: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-joseph-uscinski-conspiracy-theories-and-the-people/id1599806986?i=1000549404259     Listen to Joseph on confronting conspiracy theories:  https://www.podcastone.com/episode/Episode-8---Confronting-Conspiracy-Theories-with-Joseph-Uscinski     Read how conspiracy theories have taken hold in far right communities: https://www.thejc.com/lets-talk/i-went-undercover-among-the-fascists-and-this-is-what-i-found-rd5o5whq     Read the definition Jason uses for popular conspiracy theories: https://allthatsinteresting.com/popular-conspiracy-theories     Read definition of the 6 types of conspiracy theories: https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2024/02/25/a-psychologist-explains-6-types-of-conspiracy-theories/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are conspiracy theories more popular than ever? Are Americans more conspiratorial than ever? Are conservatives more conspiratorial than liberals? Joseph Uscinski is a political scientist at the University of Miami and one of the nation's preeminent experts on the psychology of conspiratorial thinking and the history of conspiracy theories in America. He has some counterintuitive and surprising answers to these questions. Today, he and Derek discuss—and debate—the psychology and politics of modern conspiratorial thinking. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com. Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Joseph Uscinski Producer: Devon Baroldi Links Uscinski's research page: https://people.miami.edu/profile/60b5fb062f4f266afb6739ec21657c74 "The psychological and political correlates of conspiracy theory beliefs" https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-25617-0 "Fake news on Twitter during the 2016 U.S. presidential election" https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30679368/ "Right and left, partisanship predicts (asymmetric) vulnerability to misinformation" https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/right-and-left-partisanship-predicts-asymmetric-vulnerability-to-misinformation/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When political commentators talk about polarization, they often mean a partisan ideological divide: the left vs the right, republicans vs democrats, progressives vs conservatives. But what if there is a different dichotomy driving our political disagreements that is orthogonal to ideological differences? That's what University of Miami political scientist Joseph Uscinski argues in a recent paper, “American Politics in Two Dimensions: Partisan and Ideological Identities versus Anti-Establishment Orientations. Using two national surveys from 2019 and 2020, he shows that anti-establishment and anti-elite sentiments may be more of a driving force in our politics than partisan ideology. Paper link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ajps.12616

Is JFK Jr. still alive? Daily Show contributor and podcast host Jordan Klepper digs deep into this conspiracy theory that's circulating at Trump rallies and the larger MAGA world. Where did this idea come from? Where is it going? Jordan sits down with journalist and author Will Sommer and political scientist and conspiracy theory expert Joseph Uscinski to trace the JFK Jr. myth back to its QAnon origins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, questions@townsquaretalk.org or @townsquaretalk. Throughout history, Americans have been upset over moral issues. In the 1980's, we saw the rise of the Moral Majority, while the 90's brought outrage over violence in the Mortal Kombat video game and boycotts against the raunchiness seen in the TV show Married… with Children. In recent years, we have seen protests over election reform, racial justice, gun violence and abortion.  Just recently, Target has been in the cross hairs over its Pride displays, Bud Light called out for using a transgender influencer in a marketing campaign, and Chick-Fil-A was said to go “woke” for adding a diversity, equity, and inclusion officer.  Where does moral outrage come from, what does it accomplish, and where do we go from here?  We first talk with Emily Stewart, Senior Correspondent at Vox, about the current landscape of moral outrage in our culture. From protests over companies supporting the LGBTQ+ community, the outrage over the PGA's merger with LIV Golf, and the censorship that comes with book bans, are voices growing louder? Then, University of Miami Political Science Professor Dr. Joseph Uscinski, Ball State University History Professor Dr. Emily Suzanne Johnson, and Houston Christian University Senior Research Fellow Dr. Adam Lloyd Johnson, join the conversation on what fuels moral outrage in our society, the history of moral panics in America, and have these high standards of virtue become more integrated into our political system.    Guests: Emily Stewart Senior Correspondent, Vox Dr. Joseph Uscinski Professor of Political Science, University of Miami Author, The People's News: Media, Politics, and the Demands of Capitalism and American Conspiracy Theories Dr. Emily Suzanne Johnson Associate Professor of History, Women's and Gender Studies, and African-American Studies, Ball State University She writes about religion, sexuality, and moral panics in U.S. History Dr. Adam Lloyd Johnson Senior Research Fellow, Houston Christian University President, Convincing Proof Town Square with Ernie Manouse is a gathering space for the community to come together and discuss the day's most important and pressing issues. We also offer a free podcast here, on iTunes, and other apps

------------------Support the channel------------ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenter PayPal: paypal.me/thedissenter PayPal Subscription 1 Dollar: https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuy PayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9l PayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpz PayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9m PayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao   ------------------Follow me on--------------------- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDissenterYT   This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: http://enlites.com/   Dr. Joseph Uscinski is Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami. He studies public opinion and mass media, with a focus on conspiracy theories and related misinformation. He is co-author of American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford, 2014) and editor of Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them (Oxford, 2018). His textbook on conspiracy theories is Conspiracy Theories: A Primer.   In this episode, we talk about the politics and psychology of conspiracy thinking. We talk about the role of political extremism and partisanship in conspiracy thinking, and how conspiracy theories can be associated with anti-democratic impulses. We discuss partisan and ideological identities versus anti-establishment orientations. We talk about how beliefs about the 2020 election fraud conspiracy theory changed over time. We discuss if exposure to conspiracy theories has any causal power over belief, and if we know how conspiracy theories develop and spread. We also discuss if there are more conspiracy theories today, and the relationship between conspiracy theory beliefs and vaccine hesitancy. Finally, we talk about how worried we should be about conspiracy theories and misinformation. -- A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, HANS FREDRIK SUNDE, BERNARDO SEIXAS, OLAF ALEX, JONATHAN VISSER, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, JOHN CONNORS, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, DAN DEMETRIOU, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, SIMON COLUMBUS, PHIL KAVANAGH, MIKKEL STORMYR, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, ALEXANDER DANNBAUER, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, ADANER USMANI, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, NICK GOLDEN, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, EDWARD HALL, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, MORTEN EIKELAND, DR BYRD, DANIEL FRIEDMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, PAUL-GEORGE ARNAUD, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ANTON ERIKSSON, CHARLES MOREY, ALEX CHAU, AMAURI MARTÍNEZ, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, PEDRO BONILLA, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, STARRY, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, TOM ROTH, THERPMD, IGOR N, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, RICHARD BOWEN, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, CHRIS STORY, AND MANUEL OLIVEIRA! A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, VEGA GIDEY, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, ROBERT LEWIS, AND AL NICK ORTIZ! AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, AND BOGDAN KANIVETS!

Here comes the full interview on Conspiracy Theories with Joseph Uscinski, who studies conspiracy theory at the University of Miami. Conspiracy theories are talked about a lot lately. How do they spread? Who is susceptible to believing them? What's social media's role in all of this? We get into all of this and more!How to support the show!Pure Spectrum CBD: Promo code AnxietyPod for 15% off!https://www.purespectrumcbd.com/Buy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/givesmeanxietyInstacart:Instacart.oloiyb.net/AnxietyThe Cardist - anxiety pod 10%https://thecardiststudio.com/Check out the show on all of your favorite social platforms!https://twitter.com/GivesanxietyPodhttps://www.facebook.com/thatgivesmeanxietypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/thatgivesmeanxietypodcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCOITNlRi_K7JP9QxBK-vQSupport the show

Is JFK Jr. still alive? Daily Show contributor and podcast host Jordan Klepper digs deep into this conspiracy theory that's circulating at Trump rallies and the larger MAGA world. Where did this idea come from? Where is it going? Jordan sits down with journalist and author Will Sommer and political scientist and conspiracy theory expert Joseph Uscinski to trace the JFK Jr. myth back to its QAnon origins. Jordan Klepper Fingers The Conspiracy is a podcast from The Daily Show. Check out more episodes wherever you get your podcasts or YouTube.com/TheDailyShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conspiracy theories are talked about a lot lately. How do they spread? Who is susceptible to believing them? What's social media's role in all of this? These are some of the questions I asked professor Joseph Uscinski, who studies conspiracy theory at the University of Miami. My good friend actor and comedian Dillon Geyselears puts on his tin foil hat with me. How to support the show!Buy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/givesmeanxietyInstacart:Instacart.oloiyb.net/AnxietyMy Software Tutor - Promo Code pod20 for 20 percent offhttps://mysoftwaretutor.com/The Cardist - anxiety pod 10%https://thecardiststudio.com/Check out the show on all of your favorite social platforms!https://twitter.com/GivesanxietyPodhttps://www.facebook.com/thatgivesmeanxietypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/thatgivesmeanxietypodcast/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCOITNlRi_K7JP9QxBK-vQSupport the show

Is JFK Jr. still alive? Daily Show contributor and podcast host Jordan Klepper digs deep into this conspiracy theory that's circulating at Trump rallies and the larger MAGA world. Where did this idea come from? Where is it going? Jordan sits down with journalist and author Will Sommer and political scientist and conspiracy theory expert Joseph Uscinski to trace the JFK Jr. myth back to its QAnon origins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From April 8, 2021: If you're listening to this podcast, the odds are that you've heard a lot about QAnon recently—and you might even have read some alarming reporting about how belief in the conspiracy theory is on the rise. But is it really?This week on Arbiters of Truth, the Lawfare Podcast's miniseries on our online information ecosystem, Evelyn Douek and Quinta Jurecic spoke with Joseph Uscinski, an associate professor of political science at the University of Miami who studies conspiracy theories. He explained why conspiracy theories in America aren't actually at a new apex, what kinds of people are drawn to ideas like QAnon and what role—if any—social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter should have in limiting the spread of conspiracy theories.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:48 Rob Pamler at CSICon 2022 Guest reporter Rob roves around the halls at CSICon 2022 in Las Vagas and bumps into Joseph Uscinski who is a professor of political science at the University of Miami and speaker at the convention. He also catches up with Wendy Hughes to talk about 'Romance Scams'. Next he chats to Adrienne Hill and finaly to Prof. Richard Wiseman. 0:22:55 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill The tables are turned as Adrienne interviews Rob Palmer about his Sunday Papers presentation of 'The Great Australian Psychic Prediction Project'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kcly0Ooczo 0:37:15 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to "Timothy Good". http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also Australian Skeptics National Convention 2022 Science & Skepticism in a changed world 3 - 4 December, National Library of Australia, Canberra https://skepticon.org.au

In this Roots of Reality Experiences episode, historian Ben Baumann talks with Dr. Joseph Uscinski about why conspiracy theories have always been around and how conspiratorial thinking is a bipartisan issue in the US. (Joseph E. Uscinski received his bachelor's degree from Plymouth State University, his Master's from University of New Hampshire, and his Doctorate from University of Arizona. His research has appeared in Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, and Critical Review among other scholarly outlets. His first book, The People's News: Media, Politics, and the Demands of Capitalism (New York University Press, 2014) addresses how audience demands drive news content. His second book, American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford University Press, 2014) coauthored with Joseph Parent, examines why people believe in conspiracy theories.) Website- joeuscinski.com Twitter- twitter.com/JoeUscinski Books- amazon.com/Joseph-E.-Uscinski/e/B00LSPPSPS%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Follow Roots of Reality on Social Media: Facebook- facebook.com/RootsofReality Twitter- twitter.com/_RootsofReality Instagram- instagram.com/rootsofreality/?hl=en YouTube- youtube.com/channel/UCvmG6sKFW9…isable_polymer=true (The memories, comments, and viewpoints shared by guests in the interviews do not represent the viewpoints of, or speak for Roots of Reality)

Conspiracy Theories are part of the foundation of the United States. Our first strong third party, the Anti-Masonic party, had its roots in the belief in a conspiracy theory. Years later the John Birch society shaped American politics. Things feel different now. Lies are doing something to the United States that no foreign enemy has been able to achieve: Shredding it. The bizarre QAnon, imaginary purple elephant and, far more dangerous, the big lie of a stolen election.It's time to talk about our gaslit nation and what this conspiratorial bullshit means going forward.Joining us to do just that is Joseph Uscinski. He's professor of political science at the University of Miami. He's the coauthor of American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford, 2014) and editor of Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them (Oxford, 2018). And we're lucky to have him.Angry Planet has a substack! Join the Information War to get weekly insights into our angry planet and hear more conversations about a world in conflict.https://angryplanet.substack.com/subscribeYou can listen to Angry Planet on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or follow our RSS directly. Our website is angryplanetpod.com. You can reach us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/angryplanetpodcast/; and on Twitter: @angryplanetpod.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why do we believe what we believe? In this episode of FMC Fast Chat, we get an inside look at conspiracy theories. Current events have spawned countless new conspiracy theories, focusing on the likes of COVID and QAnon. But some conspiracy theories, like who shot JFK, stand the test of time. Why? Do we blame the media or social media, or the Internet? Or, maybe, America has simply always been this crazy? These questions -- and more-- are what we tossed out to the guy Rolling Stone says is the nation's foremost expert on the topic, Joseph Uscinski. He takes us behind the headlines of news coverage, giving a firsthand account of how the news media is getting the story wrong by asking all the wrong questions. Joseph Uscinski is Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami. He studies public opinion and mass media, with a focus on conspiracy theories. Uscinski is co-author of American Conspiracy Theories, widely considered the seminal study of conspiracy theories, and author of Conspiracy Theories: A Primer, the first textbook on the topic. His essays have appeared in numerous outlets, including The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Vox, Reason, and Politico. Find out more at www.joeuscinski.com ABOUT FMC FAST CHAT FMC Fast Chat is the podcast of the Fair Media Council, a 501 c3 nonprofit organization advocating for quality news and working to create a media-savvy society. The podcast is hosted by Fair Media Council CEO & Executive Director Jaci Clement. Find out more at www.fairmediacouncil.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we believe what we believe? In this episode of FMC Fast Chat, we get an inside look at conspiracy theories. Current events have spawned countless new conspiracy theories, focusing on the likes of COVID and QAnon. But some conspiracy theories, like who shot JFK, stand the test of time. Why? Do we blame the media or social media, or the Internet? Or, maybe, America has simply always been this crazy? These questions -- and more-- are what we tossed out to the guy Rolling Stone says is the nation's foremost expert on the topic, Joseph Uscinski. He takes us behind the headlines of news coverage, giving a firsthand account of how the news media is getting the story wrong by asking all the wrong questions. Joseph Uscinski is Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami. He studies public opinion and mass media, with a focus on conspiracy theories. Uscinski is co-author of American Conspiracy Theories, widely considered the seminal study of conspiracy theories, and author of Conspiracy Theories: A Primer, the first textbook on the topic. His essays have appeared in numerous outlets, including The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Vox, Reason, and Politico. Find out more at www.joeuscinski.com ABOUT FMC FAST CHAT FMC Fast Chat is the podcast of the Fair Media Council, a 501 c3 nonprofit organization advocating for quality news and working to create a media-savvy society. The podcast is hosted by Fair Media Council CEO & Executive Director Jaci Clement. Find out more at www.fairmediacouncil.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're listening to this podcast, the odds are that you've heard a lot about QAnon recently—and you might even have read some alarming reporting about how belief in the conspiracy theory is on the rise. But is it really?This week on Arbiters of Truth, the Lawfare Podcast's miniseries on our online information ecosystem, Evelyn Douek and Quinta Jurecic spoke with Joseph Uscinski, an associate professor of political science at the University of Miami who studies conspiracy theories. He explained why conspiracy theories in America aren't actually at a new apex, what kinds of people are drawn to ideas like QAnon and what role—if any—social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter should have in limiting the spread of conspiracy theories. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dr. Joseph Uscinski is an American political scientist specializing in the study of conspiracy theories. In 2015, Uscinski organized and convened the first international conference on conspiracy theory research, featuring more than fifty scholars from ten countries. Uscinski was frequently consulted by journalists during the 2016 U.S. election for his commentary on the rise of campaign-fueled conspiracy theories and for his criticism of their use by politicians. He argued that both Trump and Clinton were using conspiracy theories to mobilize sectors of the electorate that did not trust mainstream candidates.Uscinski's most notable book, American Conspiracy Theories, studies the waxing and waning of conspiracy theorizing over time in the United States. The main hypothesis of the book was that conspiracy theories are for losers. By that, they argue that those who are out of power tend to use conspiracy theories to consolidate resources, focus attention on an enemy, and aim at redemption. The book has been widely reviewed and discussed. Recent survey evidence taken before and after the 2016 election provides positive evidence for the conspiracy theories are for losers theory. More controversially, Uscinski argues that Republicans and Democrats are equally taken to conspiracy theorizing, and that Americans may not be engaging in conspiracy theorizing more than in previous decades.

Episode 74 of our book read/podcast covering major topics in various fields of psychology explores yet another mini-series, a flex course on CONSPIRACIES this holiday season, with guests, deep dives and more. In Part IV or our conspiracy theory discussion, Daniel and Thomas are joined by Dr. Joseph Uscinski and Dr. Adam Enders to talk about belief systems in relation to conspiracy theories and their article “Do conspiracy beliefs form a belief system?”. For more about Dr. Uscinski and Ender's work, you can find them here: Dr. Joseph Uscinski https://www.joeuscinski.com/ https://twitter.com/JoeUscinski Dr. Adam Enders https://www.adamenders.com/ PSD Website: https://psychosocialdistancingpodcast.com/ Thomas' Webpage: https://sexography.org/ Thomas' Twitter: https://twitter.com/TBrooks_SexPsy Daniel's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScienceInChaos Bias of the Week: Conjunction Fallacy https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h3r_CNg_MuRKbi_oJYVRth7dAMW2nNiS/view?usp=sharing Conjunction fallacy The tendency to assume that specific conditions are more probable than general ones. Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1983). Extensional versus intuitive reasoning: The conjunction fallacy in probability judgment. Psychological Review, 90(4), 293–315. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.90.4.293

In a world full of media, which may contain misinformation or fake news, there are conspiracy theories abounding. However, conspiracy theories, and the spreading of those theories, is not a new practice, it has been around and transmitting in any way that people communicate. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Joseph Uscinski talk about the origin of conspiracy theories and how these formal theories differ (and are similar) to the fake news and misinformation that fills our media screens today. They discuss some of the earliest US conspiracy theories, as well as some of the more modern ones, and how they are different now, with our current political climate, from what they may have done in the past. They also discuss why people believe these conspiracy theories, as well as why people believe in them, even in the face of refuting evidence.   Key Takeaways: The internet did not introduce the spread of conspiracy theories. They will always be spread in any way that people communicate. Our worldviews impact the media that we access, which then can filter which conspiracy theories we are likely to believe. The two most consistent predictors of those who believe in conspiracy theories are education and level of income.   "Most of the arguments about evidence, really aren't about evidence - they're just about subjective judgments about evidence, which gets us away from evidence and gets us back into how people interpret information and what the world views are they bring into interpreting that information." —  Dr. Joseph Uscinski   Connect with Dr. Joseph Uscinski: Twitter: @JoeUscinski  Website: JoeUscinski.com  Books: American Conspiracy Theories & Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them     Connect with Therese: Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Are we in the golden age of conspiracy theories? How can society respond to dangerous theories, such as COVID conspiracy theories and misinformation, that create wide-spread dangers to society? Can, or should, conspiracy theories be ‘deprogrammed' from society, or would that create a potential for states to intervene in people's thinking in a way that we would find overreaching? Joseph Uscinski, Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami, talks to RBI Director John Torpey about the psychological conditions underlying support for conspiracy theories, the existence of QAnon, and the role of the media in aggrandizing such theories. Transcript: https://ralphbuncheinstitute.org/2021/12/06/you-wish-them-a-good-day-conspiracy-theories-in-the-age-of-information-with-joseph-uscinski/

Conspiracy theories go back for centuries. Some of the more famous conspiracy theories in the United States include the JFK assassination, the supposed fake moon landing, 9/11 was inside job, and more recently, QAnon. But what about Bigfoot? Or the Loch Ness monster? Flat earth? Are they conspiracy theories? And what of the language about […]

Joseph Uscinski is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami who studies public opinion and mass media, with a focus on conspiracy theories and related misinformation. He is coauthor of American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford, 2014) and editor of Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them (Oxford, 2018). His website is https://www.joeuscinski.com/ and can be reached on Twitter @Joeuscinski.

Calls for a commission to study the January 6 “insurrection” at the Capitol present an interesting opportunity to take a long and sustained look at what ails the American republic. But the Commission needs to ask the right questions. And? It needs to be staffed by the right scholars. In this podcast, I provide what I believe to be the proper framing and focus of the Commission, and propose a structure for how to answer the most important question and who should be tasked accordingly. Here's an outline of that structure:  Chapter 1 — The Presidential Election of 2016 Joseph Uscinski's "American Conspiracy Theories"  Chapter 2 — Big Tech Communications Shoshana Zuboff's "Age of Surveillance Capitalism" Chapter 3 — Is Hate Speech on the Rise? Daryl Johnson's "Hateland: A Long, Hard Look at America's Extremist Heart" Anne Case and Angus Deaton's "Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism" Chapter 4 — What is the Crisis of Legitimacy? Paul Reitter and Chad Wellmon's work in the Chronicle of Higher Education re: Max Weber's seminal, "Politics as a Vocation" Chapter 5 — The Role of the 2020 Pandemic in Lessening the Bonds of Civil Association Nicholas Christakis's "Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live" Chapter 6 — Free Speech in an Open Society Jonathan Turley Chapter 7 — Challenges to Come Who do YOU suggest? Let me know.  Bottom line? The violence on January 6, 2021 and the violence throughout the country in the summer of 2020 are related.  We don't need a commission to study the January 6, 2021, events as though it were a terrorist attack akin to the events of 9/11.  We need something like the Kerner Commission of 1968, which studied the summer riots of 1967. We have lost a common commitment to a common conception of right. The country is disintegrating. Somehow we transformed a police shooting into a demand for a “racial reckoning” while ignoring growing evidence of “deaths of despair” among older while Americans.  The commission needs to address the cognitive dissonance that has become a part and parcel of our national life. Please consider joining Norm Pattis's growing subscriber base on Patreon. Please also consider giving Law and Legitimacy a 5-Star rating and perhaps leave it a glowing review. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/norm-pattis/support

Calls for a commission to study the January 6 “insurrection” at the Capitol present an interesting opportunity to take a long and sustained look at what ails the American republic. But the Commission needs to ask the right questions. And? It needs to be staffed by the right scholars. In this podcast, I provide what I believe to be the proper framing and focus of the Commission, and propose a structure for how to answer the most important question and who should be tasked accordingly. Here's an outline of that structure:  Chapter 1 — The Presidential Election of 2016 Joseph Uscinski's "American Conspiracy Theories"  Chapter 2 — Big Tech Communications Shoshana Zuboff's "Age of Surveillance Capitalism" Chapter 3 — Is Hate Speech on the Rise? Daryl Johnson's "Hateland: A Long, Hard Look at America's Extremist Heart" Anne Case and Angus Deaton's "Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism" Chapter 4 — What is the Crisis of Legitimacy? Paul Reitter and Chad Wellmon's work in the Chronicle of Higher Education re: Max Weber's seminal, "Politics as a Vocation" Chapter 5 — The Role of the 2020 Pandemic in Lessening the Bonds of Civil Association Nicholas Christakis's "Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live" Chapter 6 — Free Speech in an Open Society Jonathan Turley Chapter 7 — Challenges to Come Who do YOU suggest? Let me know.  Bottom line? The violence on January 6, 2021 and the violence throughout the country in the summer of 2020 are related.  We don't need a commission to study the January 6, 2021, events as though it were a terrorist attack akin to the events of 9/11.  We need something like the Kerner Commission of 1968, which studied the summer riots of 1967. We have lost a common commitment to a common conception of right. The country is disintegrating. Somehow we transformed a police shooting into a demand for a “racial reckoning” while ignoring growing evidence of “deaths of despair” among older while Americans.  The commission needs to address the cognitive dissonance that has become a part and parcel of our national life. Please consider joining Norm Pattis's growing subscriber base on Patreon. Please also consider giving Law and Legitimacy a 5-Star rating and perhaps leave it a glowing review. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/norm-pattis/support

Supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory were implicated in the January 6th storming of the Capitol. Former supporters have even been elected to Congress. Is conspiracy thinking on the rise? Has it taken over the Republican Party? Joseph Uscinski finds little evidence that conspiracy theory beliefs are rising due to Trump or the pandemic. Instead, Trump mobilized the long conspiracy-minded. Adam Enders finds that we are prone to noticing conspiracy theories on the political right, but conspiracy beliefs do not align with the political right or left. They are part of a separate anti-institutional dimension of public opinion. New conspiracies echo those of the past, drawing the same types of Americans.

If you’re listening to this podcast, the odds are that you’ve heard a lot about QAnon recently—and you might even have read some alarming reporting about how belief in the conspiracy theory is on the rise. But is it really? This week on Arbiters of Truth, the Lawfare Podcast’s miniseries on our online information ecosystem, Evelyn Douek and Quinta Jurecic spoke with Joseph Uscinski, an associate professor of political science at the University of Miami who studies conspiracy theories. He explained why conspiracy theories in America aren’t actually at a new apex, what kinds of people are drawn to ideas like QAnon and what role—if any—social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter should have in limiting the spread of conspiracy theories.

Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, questions@townsquaretalk.org or @townsquaretalk. We all want to find understanding within our lives. Looking back to ancient times when science and physics was not yet defined, we as humans needed to make sense of our world. Enter Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo – they gave us answers. But that need, that desire to make sense of it all, was not... Read More

** Time codes to be updated shortlyThe term “conspiracy theory” is often used to discredit accusations of elite political criminality and to silence opposition to the machinations of the powers that be. In this episode we discuss the definition of the term “conspiracy theory” and how it was weaponized by the CIA to deflect criticisms of the of the dubious conclusions drawn by the Warren Commission regarding the assassination of former US President Kennedy. Introduced also in this episode is the concept of the ‘epistemic establishment’, which includes knowledge giving institutions and authorities that are trusted by the general public to provide them with truthful information about the world. It is often assumed that since we live in a so-called ‘open society’, corruption of epistemic authorities is unlikely. However, as we illustrate in considerable detail, there are good reasons to distrust our current secular epistemic authorities, and to treat their pronouncements with a healthy degree of skepticism. We provide concrete suggestions about how to find truth in a society characterized by a failing, compromised and corrupt epistemic establishment. Finally, we discuss how framing elite political crimes in terms of “State Crimes Against Democracy” (SCADs)--as suggested by Professor Lance deHaven-Smith--removes the negative stigma associated with the term ‘conspiracy theory’ while facilitating a fresh look at patterns of elite criminality that would otherwise go unnoticed.Episode Timeline & Notes0:00:00 - Opening Segment0:00:00 - The Not Conformed Salute!GraceLife supporters call on more churches to reopen as Pastor James remains in custody - Rebel NewsReligious freedom office replaced with new 'office of human rights' | CBC News(35) Edmonton pastor arrested for overcrowded sermons - YouTubeLegal Advocacy in Canada | Justice Centre for Constitutional FreedomsRisking COVID to live a normal life: JCCF Lawyer James Kitchen - Rebel NewsPoland fights Big Tech with push to block social media censorship | Fox NewsPoland Proposes $13.5 Million Fines for Tech Giants Engaging in Ideological CensorshipBOOM! Poland Will Fine Big Tech $13.5 Million Per Case For Removing Ideological Content: “Poland spent 45 years under Communism…It taught us the value of free speech”0:00:00 - New Hypocrat AwardWATCH: Conservative MP calls out 'feminist' Trudeau for not recognizing China's Uyghur genocide | The Post MillennialMPs pass motion declaring genocide against Uighurs in China, despite cabinet abstentions | CTV NewsStatus / Gab SocialTop Pension Fund Head Beat Canada’s Covid-19 Vaccine Queue by Getting a Shot in Middle East - WSJCPP Investments CEO Mark Machin resigns after travelling to UAE for COVID-19 vaccine | The Star0:00:00 - Definition of Conspiracy Theory0:00:00 - A basic definitionCoady, David. Conspiracy Theories: The Philosophical Debate.. Routledge, 2018.Sunstein, C. R., & Vermeule, A. (2009). Conspiracy Theories: Causes and Cures. Journal of Political Philosophy , 17 (2), 202–227. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2008.00325.x0:00:00 - Conspiracy theory as a derogatory conceptdeHaven-Smith, Lance. Conspiracy Theory in America. University of Texas Press, 2013, p. 6.0:00:00 - Conspiracy theories defined by epistemic authoritiesUscinski, J. E. (2020). Conspiracy Theories: a Primer. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 23-25.Epistemology - Wikipedia0:00:00 - Conspiracies and Open and Closed SocietiesSunstein, C. R., & Vermeule, A. (2009). Conspiracy Theories: Causes and Cures. Journal of Political Philosophy , 17 (2), 202–227. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2008.00325.xState Crimes Against Democracy - Lance deHaven-Smith - YouTube0:00:00 - How did it come into present day usage?State Crimes Against Democracy - Lance deHaven-Smith - YouTubedeHaven-Smith, Lance. Conspiracy Theory in America. University of Texas Press, 2013, pp. 25, 199, 128, 129, 131.0:00:00 - Conspiracies do occur and are common0:00:00 - Examples of Verified ConspiraciesPresident Truman is briefed on Manhattan Project - HISTORYJacobson, A. (2014) Operation Paper Clip; reading guide p. 4Why the U.S. Government Brought Nazi Scientists to America After World War II | Smart News | Smithsonian MagazineChilcot report: key points from the Iraq inquiry | UK news | The GuardianSnowden link hereJoseph Uscinski: "Conspiracy Theories are for Losers" - YouTubedeHaven-Smith, Lance. Conspiracy Theory in America. University of Texas Press, 2013, p.15-16.The Secret Bipartisan Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election | Time0:00:00 - Main PointPigden, C. (1995). Popper revisited, or what is wrong with conspiracy theories? Philosophy of Social Sciences , 25 (1)m p. 3-34.0:00:00 - Lance deHaven-Smith and the SCADs ConstructdeHaven-Smith, Lance. Conspiracy Theory in America. University of Texas Press, 2013, pp. 11-12, 132ff.State Crimes Against Democracy - Lance deHaven-Smith - YouTubeLance deHaven-Smith: Salaliittoteoriakäsite Amerikassa - YouTube0:00:00 - Need to follow the evidence0:00:00 - A Note for Christians0:00:00 - Summary and ClosingExtrasOffice of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Strategic Plan 2016 - 2021 - OBSSR-SP-2017-2021.pdfCovid-19: How Much Herd Immunity is Enough? - The New York TimesOpinion | What Coronavirus Herd Immunity Really Means - The New York TimesNew report says coronavirus pandemic could last up to two years | TheHillCNBC Transcript: Dr. Anthony Fauci Speaks with CNBC's Meg Tirrell Live During the CNBC Healthy Returns Livestream TodayWhere to Find UsWebsite:notconformed.shownotconformed.simplecast.comEmail:info@notconformed.shownotconformed@protonmail.comGab.com:@NotConformedRSS Feed:https://feeds.simplecast.com/Q7v05iI6MP3 Download Link:Episode 27: Epistemic Establishment (.mp3)

Given the state of… things (imagine us gesturing wildly as we say this) as they currently are, Jonah figured that this might be an apropos time to bring back a popular guest for his second showing:  Joseph Uscinski, a political scientist and professor at the University of Miami specializing in how conspiracy theories spread. Buckle up for the discussion of Jewish space lasers, QAnon, Frazzledrip, and much more. They also discuss why the conspiratorial tendency never seems to go away, thanks to its basis in personality type, as well as the fact that “politicians … use [them] as a cudgel to go around accusing their opponents of the worst things possible.” We’re sure you can imagine just what Joe is talking about with that one.   Show Notes: -Joseph E Uscinski - University of Miami -Our previous episode with Joseph -Birtherism -Every conspiracy theory promoted by Trump -Conspiracy theories are for losers -9/11 truthers -70 percent of Republicans don’t think the election was free and fair -Eric Voegelin and the roots of conspiracy theories -The God of the gaps -Conspiracy theories and evolutionary psychology -The Koch brothers control everything -Bernie and the rigged economy -Alienated America by Tim Carney -“Frazzledrip”??? -6 percent of Republicans and Democrats believe in QAnon -NYT: Biden should appoint a “reality czar” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Jonah and special guest Jack Butler, his former research assistant for the tricentennial episode. It’s the best of both worlds as the program recalls its greatest hits (conspiracies about the Soviets, Bigfoot Erotica, The Episode that Shall Not be Named, and, of course, Jokes at Jack’s expense) while also breaking into new territory. The guys talk about the conflict between college Republicans who got into politics just to be edgy versus the more thoughtful millenials and Zoomers who actually hold convictions, and about how “for the first time in more than four years, conservative politics do not have to flow through the person of Donald Trump.”   Show Notes:  -    Take our podcast survey -      Jack’s page at NR -      The Remnant with Joseph Uscinski (or, as Jack said in an interesting instance of spoonerism, “Douglas Urbanski”) -      Lost Cosmonauts -      Werner Herzog being vaguely horrified by Grizzly Man audio -      Bigfoot Erotica: Origin Stories -      “The Swamp: An affectionate farewell” -      The “Uncomfortable Learning” program at Williams College has a strange history -      Jack’s profound disappointment with Madison Cawthorn -      Jack ponders the possibilities of Amazon’s show in Middle-Earth -      Dan McLaughlin on what comes after Trump -      Zhou Enlai on the French Revolution: “Toon soon to tell” -      Community: Nick Cage, good or bad? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conspiracy theories are nothing new. It's an important topic, because conspiracies do happen. And, where people in positions of power conspire to abuse that power for immoral ends, good people ought to oppose it.Discussing conspiracy theories, however, is difficult:First, as Joseph Uscinski points out, the term “conspiracy theory” can be weaponized and used to deride ideas and people.Second, conspiracy theories are often political, and therefore evoke our own biases. Third, conspiracy theories may be true or false, which can complicate how we view or use the term itself. Perhaps even more important than the truth behind conspiracy theories is the truth behind our motives for being drawn to them in the first place.So, how can we do our best to avoid falling prey to or becoming complicit in promoting false conspiracy theories? Since conspiracy theories will always be with us, we want to give you three biblical principles to help you.Prefer to read it? preparedtoanswer.org/conspiracy-theoriesSupport the show (https://preparedtoanswer.org/donate/)

In a world full of media, which may contain misinformation or fake news, there are conspiracy theories abounding. However, conspiracy theories, and the spreading of those theories, is not a new practice, it has been around and transmitting in any way that people communicate. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Joseph Uscinski talk about the origin of conspiracy theories and how these formal theories differ (and are similar) to the fake news and misinformation that fills our media screens today. They discuss some of the earliest US conspiracy theories, as well as some of the more modern ones, and how they are different now, with our current political climate, from what they may have done in the past. They also discuss why people believe these conspiracy theories, as well as why people believe in them, even in the face of refuting evidence.   Key Takeaways: The internet did not introduce the spread of conspiracy theories. They will always be spread in any way that people communicate. Our worldviews impact the media that we access, which then can filter which conspiracy theories we are likely to believe. The two most consistent predictors of those who believe in conspiracy theories are education and level of income.   "Most of the arguments about evidence, really aren’t about evidence - they’re just about subjective judgments about evidence, which gets us away from evidence and gets us back into how people interpret information and what the world views are they bring into interpreting that information." —  Dr. Joseph Uscinski   Connect with Dr. Joseph Uscinski: Twitter: @JoeUscinski  Website: JoeUscinski.com  Books: American Conspiracy Theories & Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them     Connect with Therese: Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Bầu cử 2020 cho thấy một nước Mỹ chia rẽ hơn bao giờ hết. Tổng thống mãn nhiệm liên tục lên án bầu cử gian lận quy mô lớn, tước đoạt chiến thắng của ông, dù không hề có bằng chứng. Rất nhiều người ủng hộ Trump coi đối thủ chính trị của ông là kẻ thù không đội trời chung. Cho dù chuyển giao quyền lực diễn ra, đối đầu dự báo sẽ kéo dài trong căng thẳng. Vì sao nước Mỹ bị phân hóa đến thế ? Trong số các nguyên nhân dẫn đến tình trạng này, nhiều chuyên gia, nhà quan sát khẳng định vai trò quan trọng của đủ loại « thuyết âm mưu », nở rộ trong những năm vừa qua. Mạng truyền thông không chính thức QAnon được coi là một thế lực trong bóng tối hùng mạnh, nơi phát xuất của nhiều « thuyết âm mưu », có ảnh hưởng lớn đến cách suy nghĩ của người Mỹ, đặc biệt là các cử tri đảng Cộng Hòa nói chung, giới ủng hộ ông Donald Trump nói riêng. QAnon hoạt động ra sao ? Vì sao mạng lưới truyền thông này là có nhiều ảnh hưởng như vậy ? Trên đây là các chủ đề chính của Tạp chí Xã hội của RFI tuần này. « Cuộc nội chiến » thầm lặng chống lại một « nhà nước ngầm » QAnon xuất hiện vào mùa thu 2017, ít tháng sau khi ông Trump nhậm chức tổng thống. « Q » là tên gọi rút gọn của « Q Clearance Patriot », biệt danh của một tài khoản trên một diễn đàn mạng nhiều tai tiếng mang tên « 4chan ». « Anon » là tên viết tắt của từ « vô danh » trong tiếng Anh. Cho đến nay, giới nghiên cứu vẫn chưa xác định được danh tính của cá nhân hay nhóm đứng đằng sau biệt danh « Q ». Chủ nhân của tài khoản mang tên « Q » khẳng định tiếp cận được với các tài liệu mật cho thấy có một âm mưu ngầm chống lại tổng thống đương nhiệm Donald Trump. Đọc thêm : Vì sao phong trào ủng hộ Trump củng cố được vị thế trong xã hội Mỹ ? Theo « Q », lãnh đạo nhóm chống tổng thống hiện nay là một tổ chức tội phạm, bao gồm cựu tổng thống Obama, cựu ngoại trưởng Hillary Clinton, tỉ phú George Soros, gia đình Rothschild, nhiều ngôi sao điện ảnh Holywood, và nhiều quan chức cao cấp Mỹ. Thế lực này cũng bị cáo buộc tham gia buôn bán trẻ em làm nô lệ tình dục, và được coi là đã bí mật điều khiển nước Mỹ từ nhiều thập niên nay, cùng với nhiều thế lực nước ngoài. Theo « Q », chỉ có Donald Trump và các cộng sự của ông mới là người có thể chống lại « nhà nước ngầm » này, cứu nước Mỹ, trả lại quyền lực cho nhân dân (Les Echos ngày 21/08/2020). Gần đây, các thành viên của QAnon khi xuất hiện trước công chúng thường mang theo biểu tượng chữ Q, mang màu đỏ, hoặc màu cờ Mỹ, với khẩu hiệu « Một người trong chúng ta đi đâu, tất cả cùng đi » (Where We Go One We Go All – viết tắt là « WWG1WGA »).   Một người ủng hộ phong trào, ông Jordan Sather, cho biết trên Youtube, « QAnon, tóm lại, là một cuộc nội chiến bí mật, do một số người ly khai khỏi hệ thống tình báo tiến hành. Các thông điệp của ‘‘Q’’ giúp chúng ta thức tỉnh, để nhận ra sự thật ». Nhà nghiên cứu Travis View, chuyên gia về phong trào QAnon, xác nhận : « ‘‘Q’’ tự nhận là một quan chức cao cấp trong ngành tình báo quân sự, thân cận với ông Donald Trump ». Một niềm tin chủ yếu của những người theo  QAnon đó là những thế lực có « âm mưu đen tối » sẽ sớm bị bắt giữ hàng loạt, và « trận cuồng phong này » (the Storm) sẽ đưa tất cả đến nơi « bình an và hạnh phúc ». Erin Cruz, một người ủng hộ QAnon, ứng cử viên Cộng Hòa vào Nghị Viện California cuối năm 2019, khẳng định đầy vẻ tin tưởng : « Các thuyết âm mưu có vẻ điên rồ, cho đến khi chúng được chứng minh là đúng ». Phẫn nộ : « Bão chồng lên bão » Phong trào QAnon thoạt tiên chỉ nằm bên lề xã hội Mỹ, bởi các thuyết âm mưu những người chủ xướng đưa ra bị coi quá cực đoan. Tuy nhiên, QAnon nhanh chóng thu hút được nhiều « tín đồ », với việc tung ra tin giả đủ loại, đặc biệt gần đây trong bối cảnh xã hội Mỹ lâm vào khủng hoảng với đại dịch Covid-19, hay phong trào Black Lives Matter (Mạng sống người da đen cũng quan trọng), chống bạo lực và kỳ thị chủng tộc của cảnh sát. Chẳng hạn như một điều tra của New York Times cho biết nhiều thành viên phong trào này đã xâm nhập vào mạng lưới bảo vệ trẻ em #SaveTheChildren, để tung ra một bản đồ bịa đặt về các địa điểm buôn trẻ em. Chuyên gia về truyền thông và hiện tượng tin giả, bà Whitney Phillips, đưa ra một ẩn dụ đầy hình ảnh để nói về sức mạnh và tốc độ phát triển của QAnon. Nhà nghiên cứu Đại học Syracus, New York, so sánh QAnon với hiện tượng thời tiết được đặt tên là « hiệu ứng Fujiwhara », một cơn cuồng phong trở nên mạnh hơn gấp bội, nhờ một cơn cuồng phong khác tiếp sức. QAnon không chỉ là một « trận bão » truyền thông, phong trào này còn mang năng lượng của nhiều « trận bão » dồn dập ập đến trong những năm gần đây. Chuyên gia về các thuyết âm mưu Mike Rothschild, tác giả cuốn « The World's Worst Conspiracies » (cũng là tác giả một cuốn sách về QAnon, sẽ ấn hành năm tới 2021) nhận xét : với đại dịch Covid, mọi thứ nhập làm một. Nếu bạn đến một nhóm chống vac-xin, bạn sẽ gặp những người chống khẩu trang, nếu bạn đến một nhóm chống khẩu trang, sẽ gặp người chống Bill Gates, đệ tử cuồng nhiệt của QAnon… Rốt cục bạn sẽ tin vào tất cả những điều này. Theo chuyên gia về thuyết âm mưu Travis View, « điều mà QAnon mang lại cho người tin theo là khả năng hiểu được những gì diễn ra mà không cần đến các phương tiện truyền thông. Chỉ cần đi theo ‘‘Q’’, người được coi là có quan hệ với giới tình báo cao cấp, người có thể nói cho bạn biết những gì diễn ra thực sự trong hậu trường. Mong muốn có được các thông tin bí hiểm này là đặc điểm chung của tất cả những người tin theo ''Q'' » (Le Monde, 14/10/2020). Mạng xã hội: Nơi phù thủy luyện âm binh Trong thông điệp đầu tiên năm 2017, « Q » khẳng định cựu ngoại trưởng Hillary Clinton sắp bị bắt giam. Tuy nhiên, tiên đoán này đã không xảy ra. Kể từ đó « Q » từ bỏ giọng điệu khẳng định, để chuyển sang kêu gọi những người tham gia đóng góp « phần nhỏ của mình », tùy theo sáng kiến riêng, miễn là phù hợp với chủ trương chung của phong trào. Các thông điệp của phong trào liên tục đổi mới, thích ứng với phương thức liên hệ hết sức uyển chuyển, trên các mạng xã hội, nơi mà mỗi cá nhân toàn quyền đưa ra các giải thích riêng của mình. Theo chuyên gia Mike Rothschild, khi những người chủ trương mạng « QAnon » thấy một số các bài viết hay thông điệp thu hút nhiều chú ý, họ sẽ đưa lên Youtube, và chính từ đây, các nội dung đó sẽ có sức lan tỏa mạnh mẽ. Một điều tra nội bộ của Facebook, mà kênh truyền hình NBC tiếp cận được hồi đầu tháng 8, mang lại một hình dung sơ bộ về quy mô của phong trào. Facebook xác định được hàng nghìn nhóm, trang mạng với hơn 3 triệu thành viên và người đăng ký, có liên quan đến trào lưu QAnon. Kể từ tháng 3 đến tháng 8, số lượng trang và nhóm QAnon trên Facebook tăng gấp 6,5 lần (FranceInfo). Cũng tháng 8/2020, theo điều tra của New York Times, những nhóm QAnon nổi tiếng nhất trên Facebook tập hợp đến 200.000 người tham gia. Chia rẽ, ngờ vực, thù hận : Nỗi lo nước Mỹ bị xé làm hai « Thuyết âm mưu » và tin giả song hành như hình với bóng. Để hiểu được vì sao mạng truyền thông trong bóng tối QAnon lại có được sức hấp dẫn như vậy trong xã hội Mỹ, bên cạnh những bối cảnh thuận lợi như đại dịch Covid - gây nhiều lo lắng trong xã hội, một nguyên nhân khác có thể thấy trong chính chủ trương của tổng thống Hoa Kỳ, chống lại truyền thông chủ lưu, chống lại cách xử lý thông tin nghiêm túc của nhiều phương tiện truyền thông chuyên nghiệp, gây tâm lý hoang mang trong xã hội. Trả lời RFI Tiếng Việt, nhà báo Phạm Trần, nhà quan sát chính trị Mỹ từ nhiều thập niên nay, nhận xét : « Lần đầu tiên trong lịch sử bầu cử tổng thống của nước Mỹ, một tổng thống đương quyền thất cử lại nói rằng mình thua là do gian lận. Đối với người dân Mỹ, phải coi đó là một lời tuyên bố, một xác quyết xâm phạm đến tính ngay thẳng của nền dân chủ Hoa Kỳ. Cho đến giờ này, bốn năm cầm quyền của ông Donald Trump đã tạo ra một không khí nghi ngờ, chia rẽ, phân hóa trong xã hội Mỹ, và trong chính quyền Mỹ, không có tin tưởng ở nhau. Đấy là một hậu quả tôi cho rằng là nghiêm trọng. Ông Trump tạo ra sự nghi ngờ đối với nền dân chủ Hoa Kỳ, và tạo ra ấn tượng là bầu cử ở Mỹ có gian lận, nhưng không đưa ra được bằng chứng cụ thể nào. Báo chí hỏi ông ấy, tại sao lại không đưa ra bằng chứng ? Thì ông ấy lại tố cáo những người phóng viên đã đặt câu hỏi ấy là đã đưa ra tin giả, ‘‘fake news’’. Ông Trump đã thành công trong việc tạo ra làn sóng (chống lại cái gọi là) ‘‘fake news’’. Những gì không thuận tay ông ấy, những gì ông ấy không thấy có lợi cho ông ấy, thì ông ấy gọi là ‘‘fake news’’, hay không có lợi cho đảng Cộng Hòa thì ông ấy cho là fake news. Và những gì mà đối thủ của ông ấy nói, những người chống ông ấy, tuyên bố thì đều bị coi là fake news, thì ông ấy lại gán ghép cho họ là đưa ra những ‘‘fake news’’, để che đậy âm mưu của mình. Hiện tượng gọi là ‘‘fake news’’ đó, cách tuyên truyền của ông Donald Trump đã trở thành một hiện tượng trong xã hội Mỹ, sẽ tiếp tục tồn tại, sẽ phát triển mạnh hơn, mặc dù ông Donald Trump sẽ rời Tòa Bạch Ốc vào ngày 20/01/2021 ».  Với khoảng 80 triệu người đăng ký theo dõi trên Twitter, ông Donald Trump, với quyền lực của một tổng thống Mỹ, là một trong những người có ảnh hưởng ghê gớm nhất đến công luận toàn cầu. Việc tổng thống Trump thường phổ biến quan điểm gây chia rẽ công chúng, những người theo ông và những người chống ông, quyết liệt chống lại các phương tiện truyền thông không ủng hộ ông, quy tất cả vào một nhóm « kẻ thù của nhân dân » (ngôn từ thường được các chế độ toàn trị sử dụng để triệt hạ hoàn toàn các đối thủ), ắt hẳn đã tạo đất tốt cho sự nở rộ của đủ loại thuyết âm mưu, tin giả, trong đó có các thuyết âm mưu mà QAnon phổ biến.   Trump – QAnon :  Quan hệ nước đôi Về mặt nguyên tắc, ông Donald Trump được coi là người không bao giờ nói trực tiếp về QAnon. Tùy viên báo chí của Nhà Trắng năm 2018 tuyên bố tổng thống Trump « tố cáo và lên án và mọi hành động bạo lực nhắm vào một cá nhân ». Trong một cuộc họp báo vào tháng 8/2020, ông Trump đã tránh trả lời phóng viên, khi được đặt câu hỏi về QAnon. Câu hỏi được nhà báo đặt ra sau khi tổng thống Trump gửi thông điệp trên mạng Twitter khen ngợi ứng cử viên vào Hạ Viện, bà Marjorie Taylor Greene, một đệ tử của phong trào QAnon (theo AP, ngày 14/08/2020). Trong một đoạn video đưa lên mạng năm 2017, bà Greene ca ngợi ông Trump là cơ hội giúp cho nước Mỹ « chống lại băng nhóm của những kẻ ấu dâm, tôn thờ quỷ Satan » – một nội dung chủ yếu trong thuyết âm mưu của QAnon. Người vừa đắc cử hạ nghị sĩ cũng là người chủ trương chống phá thai, ủng hộ mang súng, coi người da trắng là nhóm xã hội « bị ngược đãi nhất » tại Mỹ (bà Greene là một trong hai ứng cử viên ủng hộ QAnon đắc cử Hạ Viện lần này) (France Culture, ngày 04/11/2020). Trên thực tế, tổng thống Donald Trump có quan hệ gần gũi với nhiều thành viên QAnon. Ví dụ như Michael William Lebron (biệt danh « Lionel »), một người dẫn chương trình phát thanh, hoạt động tích cực trên mạng, với gần 150.000 người theo dõi trên Twitter và 250.000 người trên kênh Youtube cá nhân. Michael William Lebron nổi tiếng là một trong những người tuyên truyền nhiệt tình cho các luận thuyết « âm mưu » của QAnon. Hay cựu cố vấn an ninh quốc gia của ông Trump, Michael Flynn, cũng là người nhắc lại các khẩu hiệu của QAnon trên trang Twitter. Nhà nghiên cứu Joseph Uscinski, Đại học Miami, chuyên gia về các nhóm chính trị bên lề, ghi nhận QAnon là nhóm được coi là « cực đoan nhất » trong giới cử tri ủng hộ Donal Trump. Thái độ gần gũi của ông Trump với nhóm này đặt chính đông đảo giới chính trị gia Cộng Hòa vào thế khó xử. Đa số không dám phản đối, bởi ông Trump được cử tri ủng hộ đông đảo, nhưng việc lờ đi chuyện này có thể gây khó cho đảng Cộng Hòa, khi QAnon đã nằm trong tầm ngắm của Cục Điều tra Liên bang (FBI), như một « nguy cơ đối với an ninh quốc gia » (France 24, 22/07/2020). Mối đe dọa thường trực đối với nền dân chủ Ảnh hưởng QAnon có nguy cơ dẫn đến các hành động cực đoan nguy hiểm trong kỳ bầu cử Mỹ. Đây có thể là lý do khiến tập đoàn Facebook đầu tháng 10 vừa qua đã quyết định loại trừ tất cả những gì liên quan đến QAnon ra khỏi mạng xã hội này, sau một thời gian dài dung dưỡng mạng truyền thông trong bóng tối. Youtube cũng đưa ra một số biện pháp. Tuy nhiên, QAnon chắc chắn không chết, bởi sự phát triển của phong trào này giờ đây không còn phụ thuộc vào Facebook. Quan hệ giữa tổng thống mãn nhiệm Mỹ với QAnon, mạng truyền thông đầy thế lực, chủ trương các thuyết âm mưu mờ ám, là vấn đề đang tiếp tục được giới chuyên gia làm sáng tỏ. Tuy nhiên, theo nhiều nhà quan sát, thái độ nước đôi của tổng thống Mỹ, chủ trương phủ nhận triệt để vai trò của truyền thông chủ lưu, tất cả những gì đi ngược lại quan điểm của cá nhân ông Trump đều bị gán nhãn « fake news », đã tạo ra  một không khí xã hội rất thuận lợi cho đủ loại thuyết âm mưu phát triển. Đây cũng chính là nguồn gốc sản sinh vô số tin giả, gây rối nhiễu công luận. Nhà chính trị học Pháp Rudy Reichstadt, phụ trách trang mạng Conspiracy Watch (thành lập từ năm 2007, chuyên nghiên cứu các phong trào cực đoan), nhấn mạnh « sự nở rộ của thuyết âm mưu biến các tranh luận trong một xã hội dân chủ thành cuộc đối thoại giữa những người điếc », « việc hủy bỏ mọi khả năng về ‘‘một thế giới chung’’ mà mọi người có thể chia sẻ, việc hủy hoại niềm tin vào một hiện thực mang tính sự kiện, mà xung quanh đó, có thể diễn ra đối thoại giữa các quan điểm trái ngược » là mối đe dọa thường trực đối với các nền dân chủ (Le Monde, 25/11/2020).  

The current political climate is fertile ground for conspiracy theories. But who believes in them, and why? Are they harmless or do they undermine public trust and our democracy? Perry and Ed talk to University of Miami Associate Professor of Political Science Joseph Uscinski, who reveals why conspiracy theories are so enticing, and how false rumors, and absurd ideas persist. Joseph Uscinski is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami. He studies public opinion and mass media, with a focus on conspiracy theories and related misinformation. He is the co-author of American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford, 2014) and editor of Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them (Oxford, 2018).

Scott and Steve explore the origins of the term "Conspiracy Theory" and also discuss the recent rise of QAnon. Special guest Dr. Joseph Uscinski of the University of Miami shares how as a political scientist he started researching conspiracy theories and debunks some common wisdom on their adherents. Spoiler alert: They walk among us. For more on Joe Uscinski, go to joeuscinski.com or follow him on Twitter at @JoeUscinski.   For more, including video interview with Dr. Uscinski, go to patreon.com/speakcies. 

Hoy en #DiaADia, comenzamos conversando con el historiador y politólogo Carlos Malamud, quien comentó que “Votar significa elegir representantes y autoridades de acuerdo a normas establecidas en cada país” y que “Quien tiene el control de lo que hay que hacer, es el gobierno o las autoridades electorales que están subordinadas al poder del gobierno”. Y sobre las elecciones en Venezuela, Malamud expresó que “Al gobierno le conviene no cambiar la fecha de la elección, porque cuanto más se postergue, más posibilidades tendría la oposición de juntarse”. El Presidente (E) de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela y de la Asamblea Nacional, Juan Guaidó, expresó que “Debemos luchar por condiciones para convertir un proceso electoral en Venezuela en un proceso real”, agregando que “Este no es un tema de traidores y leales, sino de lograr objetivos en el corto plazo de cara a lograr la transición”, puesto que “La unidad es un vehículo que nos ha dado victorias en el pasado, y es necesaria para lograr vencer a la dictadura”. Guaidó también aseguró que “La Fuerza Armada es un elemento central de cara a la transición a la democracia” y agradeció a la administración del presidente Trump, ya que “Ha sido un apoyo y una palanca de presión a la dictadura del régimen de Maduro”. El politólogo estadounidense, Joseph Uscinski, comentó que “La gente a la que le gusta el QAnon, es gente a la que no le gusta cómo están funcionando las cosas”, agregando que “Es difícil saber en qué cree Trump, pero dudo que crea en las teorías del QAnon, pero lo está utilizando para atraer gente a su coalición”. Además, Uscinski resaltó que “Siempre ha habido gente que cree en extrañas teorías y conspiraciones. Lo que es nuevo, es que el presidente parece creer en todas estas cosas”. Después de estar más de un año presa por el régimen de Nicolás Maduro por ser vecina de Simonovis, Antonia Turbay nos contó: “A mi casa vinieron 5 patrullas a buscarme. En principio me fui tranquila, porque yo no le debía nada a la justicia, pero cuando pasaron los días fue muy angustioso”, agregando que “Al 5to día, me pusieron ese uniforme amarillo, y eso fue superior a mis fuerzas. Era la vergüenza de que te vieran privada de libertad, y con un uniforme de delincuente”. Turbay también expresó: “Mi pregunta siempre fue: ¿de quién soy yo detenida? Yo fui presa de alguien, y todavía no lo sé. Algún día, a lo mejor, lo sabré”. Joseph M. Humire, experto en seguridad global, nos comentó que “Trump en su campaña dijo que iba a ser un presidente que iba a retirar las tropas del Medio Oriente”, destacando también que “Las acciones de Trump no han sido muy suaves con Corea del Norte, Rusia, o con cualquier otra dictadura o gobierno autoritario en el mundo”. Y para cerrar el programa, la cantante, pianista, compositora y actriz Lena Burke nos informó que “Nos han llamado a mi mamá y a mí para inaugurar una serie de conciertos que van a darse en Miami”, por lo que se presentarán “En el Drive In en la Feria de la Coral Way, el viernes 18 de septiembre”, para lo cual “Pueden conseguir sus tickets en http://3feo.com”.

This month we talk to Marc-André Argentino about where QAnon came from, where it might be going, and how it's starting to look more like a religion than a simple belief or set of beliefs. And in One Last Thing, Dan is relaxing with a cartoon, and Tim is grumbling about a cartoonish theological argument. Some of the things we discussed in this episode: Mr. Argentino made reference to theodicy, Dominionism, and "red pilling." He also mentioned Pizzagate, the Wayfair conspiracy theory, the "Satanic panic," Plandemic, and the recent "Save the Children" rallies. And he talked about the Omega Kingdom Church, though he didn't mention it by name. Finally, he discussed the work of Joseph Uscinski and the idea of hyperreality invented by the philosopher Jean Baudrillard. Here is an article Argentino published about QAnon as a "hyperreal religion." Dan brought up the fact that QAnon is global now, and referenced a recent Atlantic article by Adrienne LaFrance. Tim discussed his own Twitter run-in with the tribe of Q. Dan's One Last Thing was about Star Trek: Lower Decks. Tim's One Last Thing was about God's Not Dead.   0:00-1:21: Introductions 1:25-37:39: Argentino interview 37:44-40:43: Dan's OLT 40:43-45:37: Tim's OLT 45:37-46:41: Credits 46:46-46:53: Outtake  

Gabe & Rick converse with Dr. Massimo Pigliucci and Dr. Joseph Uscinski on their ongoing fight against psuedo-science and conspiracy theories. Dr. Uscinski is a professor at the University of Miami, and an author and frequent contributor to the Washington Post, Politico, Vox, Newsweek, and other publications. Dr. Pugliucci is a Professor of Philosophy at City College of New York. He is an outspoken critic of pseudoscience and an advocate for science education.

Hoy en #DiaADia, comenzamos conversando con Geoff Ramsey, director para Venezuela de la Oficina en Washington para Asuntos Latinoamericanos, quien comentó que “A nivel político de la administración estadounidense, Venezuela se ha convertido más en una herramienta ideológica”, por lo que cree que “Si gana Trump, podríamos esperar más de lo mismo con el tema de Venezuela”. Pero por el otro lado, Ramsey asegura que “La administración Biden ha dejado claro que va a seguir apoyando la causa democrática en Venezuela, pero probablemente vaya a ser más flexible en el uso de la presión”. El politólogo estadounidense, Joseph Uscinski, comentó que “La gente a la que le gusta el QAnon, es gente a la que no le gusta el establishment, no le gusta cómo están funcionando las cosas”, agregando que “Es difícil saber en qué cree Trump, pero dudo que crea en las teorías del QAnon. Pero evidentemente lo está utilizando en este momento para atraer gente a su coalición”. Además, Uscinski resaltó que “Siempre ha habido gente que cree en extrañas teorías y conspiraciones. Lo que es nuevo, es que el presidente parece creer en todas estas cosas”. Desde Washington nos atendió Leopoldo Martínez Nucete, analista político demócrata, quien comentó que “Para Trump, pareciera que no existe la pandemia, que no existe el sufrimiento de los americanos, ni los 180.000 muertos”, agregando que el presidente Trump “En vez de utilizar su gestión para su campaña, decide más bien atacar a su oponente”. Nucete asegura que “Joe Biden es un hombre que siempre ha estado en el centro de la vida política” y que “Algunas encuestas dicen que Joe Biden está en mejor posición que Donald Trump”. También nos atendió la Subdirectora para las Américas de Human Rights Watch, Tamara Taraciuk, quien expresó que en Venezuela “El Coronavirus ha sido un pretexto para que el régimen haga lo que mejor sabe hacer, que es reprimir”, ya que “A lo que pareciera temerle el régimen, es a que se sepa lo que realmente pasa en el país”. También aseguró que “Todavía hay gente que mira y documenta todo lo que está pasando en Venezuela en materia de represión”. El periodista Pedro Rojas nos habló sobre la situación que se vive en los estados de Texas y Luisiana, a raíz del huracán Laura: “Hasta ahora se han contabilizado 6 muertes entre los dos estados por el huracán”, informó, y aseguró que “La recuperación va a tomar muchos meses, no va a ser rápida”. Y para cerrar el programa del día de hoy, la científica política Leandra Bias nos comentó que “La relación Putin y Lukashenko no era la mejor. De hecho, en algún momento, Lukashenko acusó a Putin de estar detrás de las manifestaciones”, pero que “Ahora Lukashenko no tiene a más nadie a quien acudir, que a Putin”. Además, nos informó que “Putin dijo ayer que sólo intervendría si la situación se torna extrema”, pero que “Militarmente, es poco probable que Putin vaya a intervenir”.

These are the words of Joseph Uscinski, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami.I spoke to Joe for Webworm, and our conversation made me wonder if things aren’t quite as fucked up as they seem. So I guess today’s newsletter is… hopeful, somehow?Joe Uscinski wrote American Conspiracy Theories (an excellent book) and as you probably gathered from the title, he’s very passionate about conspiracy theories. He’s a member of the University of Miami U-LINK team, which combats online extremist conspiracy theories, and also does a fuckload of survey work for the likes of the Pew Research Centre.In short, he really has his finger on the pulse about what Americans believe.And as debate raged about the possible identity of Q this week, I wanted to talk to Joe about how widespread the believe in QAnon actually is, and how worried we should be. I wanted to know the scale of the problem.I really like Joe. He’s well educated and opinionated — and he’s also a great speaker. Right now, he’s in hot demand. I accidentally Skyped him on the wrong day, and he sounded upbeat but also kinda exhausted. He’d just done six American press interviews in a row, most of them about QAnon.When I reconnected, I really loved our conversation. I think my kiwi accent threw him a little, and there were a lot of laughs as we talked. The podcast version of this newsletter is really fun. He swears quite a bit.In short — we kinda disagree on some things — but I knew we would.He thinks the problem of people disappearing down conspiratorial rabbit holes is no worse than it’s ever been. That it’s exactly the same. Joe told me social media isn’t to blame. I struggle with this, but he’s smart and I wanted to hear him out.We also agreed on a lot of things, including the bit where he yelled at me:“This is a plea to the conspiracy theorists - make up something fucking new, so that I can actually give a shit at this point! Because it is so boring, oh my God!”I found this conversation fascinating, and at times confronting. I hope you enjoy it. Like all the content here on Webworm, this edition is possible thanks to subscribers. They fund the work here, and also get access to bonus newsletters and podcasts. If it doesn’t cause you financial hardship, you can sign up here to stay across future episodes:You can consume our conversation in two ways: a podcast you can listen to (above), or a written version you can read (below).Take your pick.David.Joe - you are a polls expert. Take it away!Just to give you a rundown of the polls in this country, I will tell you the brief history of why I started polling QAnon, because it wasn’t even something I was paying attention to in mid-2018. It got brought to my attention, largely from a little bit of online harassment that I got from these Q people! They went through all my pictures on Twitter and decided to make a collage suggesting I was a satanic sex trafficker. It was the dumbest pictures they picked — and of course they found one of me wearing red socks, and the red socks mean you are a sex trafficker, or eat babies, or something like that. At that point I thought, “OK, let’s see what’s happening here.”And what happened very quickly in late July of 2018 was that some people wore QAnon tee shirts to a Trump rally in Tampa, Florida — my home state.And because of that, QAnon got a tonne of media coverage, in all the major newspapers. So I decided I was going to run a poll in Florida. And I thought “why don’t I throw QAnon on here, and just see what happens?”And a lot of people didn’t know what it was, and it was not rated very highly. So we said “how would you rate the QAnon movement on a scale from zero to 100, where 100 is “you really like it” and zero is “you really hate it.”It came out with about an average of 22. And to put that in perspective, it was about a point higher than where Floridians rated Fidel Castro! And if you know anything about Florida, it’s that we don’t like Castro here! So it was not liked. But what was even more telling was that the average rating from Democrats and from Republicans were not different. So they both disliked it about equally. And what predicted belief in QAnon was not being Republican or Conservative, but just having a conspiratorial world view. So this idea that QAnon is a far right conspiracy theory does just not hold water at all. There is nothing conservative about it, except for positing Trump as a hero — but he is not a hero because he is Republican, but because he is an outsider.I have repeated this poll in Florida just in June, and several other polls nationwide, and have found no growth [in QAnon belief] whatsoever. So most people don’t know what this is, the vast majority of people don’t like it, and it’s not gaining in popularity.However the headlines in all the newspapers are the exact opposite. They say “it is huge and getting bigger, it’s gone mainstream, it’s taking over American life, it’s far right…” Of course, they never tell you what that means. I mean I am reading a piece in the New York Times right now, and the headline says “The republican embrace of QAnon goes far beyond Trump”, that’s the kind of headline we see everywhere.But it really doesn’t. I mean maybe it goes a little bit beyond Trump, but it doesn’t go far beyond Trump. So what is happening here? Are we seeing a huge disconnect between the reporting and the perception of what your polling numbers are actually saying?Well the data is out there, I published my initial poll in the Washington Post, I followed up with my polls in the Washington Post, the Emerson poll is out there for anyone to see, the Pew poll is out there — and that made headlines! So there is no excuse at this point for journalists to get this wrong. So they are doing it purposefully.And I think some of them are starting to see, and to change their language, just enough to get away with the crap: “Oh, well, there are millions of QAnon accounts - and that’s growing…” Right? And if you are not reading carefully… accounts aren’t people. Accounts are accounts, who knows if they are sincere, or real people, or if one person has 1000 accounts.So some of this is, frankly, dishonest at this point. I would have forgiven them before, but they should know better. And I don’t want to speculate on people’s motives — it may be that they are chasing clicks, by inciting this moral panic. It could be that the mainstream news legacy outlets have it in for social media, and are more than happy to attack them saying they are turning everyone into a nutcase, when in fact they are not. It could be that there is some political bias here, maybe it is easy for them to say “Republicans are a bunch of QAnon nutcases” and then ignore stuff like ANTIFA and stuff like that.I think there is this thing at the moment where people are coming across the idea of a conspiracy theory for the first time, and they are panicking about it. I feel that in America, it’s been a part of its culture to have this way of thinking about things! That what you are told is not necessarily the truth. I mean, right back to the foundations of the country, it’s always been there. It just feels like perhaps there is this knee-jerk reaction to what we are seeing now.I mean it’s true it’s always been there, but it’s also a media myth that the US is exceptional in this way. I would say Americans are exceptional in many ways, but conspiracy theories is just not one of them!Polling, when you do it across countries… we are middling, at best. If you read the news headlines, whenever a major newspaper will talk about conspiracy theories in whatever country, it’s always the people of that country who are the most conspiratorial!All these claims are based on nothing, it’s all baloney. And also when you read about “when is the time of conspiracy theories?” - journalists say it’s always “now, now. Now is the time.” And you can find headlines almost every year saying “this is the golden age, this is the time!” But it can’t always be true.I am just observing from New Zealand, but say we focus on COVID, there seems to be a lot of disinformation and misinformation that is fuelled by social media sending you along on an algorithm. Look at something like Plandemic, that documentary that was shared around so widely: how do you feel about the positioning of something like that as being “oh holy shit everyone is doing down the rabbit hole” — do you think that has been blown out of proportion?Yes. Absolutely. This is the funny thing, having been polling on COVID conspiracy theories. I ran a poll in March, and another in June, and Plandemic placed in the middle of that, and was shared supposedly millions of times.Yet — no difference in the conspiracy beliefs. No difference.And so it’s like we known a lot about how media affects people. We have been studying this for a very long time. For hundreds of years. And we have strong theories to explain this, and we have decided to throw this all out and just decide that everyone is a lemming, when it comes to internet conspiracy theories.It is not the case that conspiracy theorising has gone up at all. It is not clear that conspiracy theorising has gone up due to social media. We may find in effect we may have people who already have strong conspiratorial world-views and they are going to search out what they want to find anyway.And they are writing about it on their Facebooks walls…Yeah. So the view is already there, right? Even when we look at polls of specific conspiracy theories over time, it is not the case that pre and post internet more people are believing conspiracy theories. There may be less. Essentially what you are saying is that during a pandemic, people that are already predisposed —Well not even during a pandemic! Just put the pandemic aside for now, just in the age of the internet people will find what they are looking for. And when this pandemic first started, I was thinking to myself “if I were to take people into a lab and to turn them into conspiracy theorists, and jack every input up to 11… the pandemic would be it!” The economic uncertainty, the fear that comes from disease, an election, all sorts of stuff going on, social media, political elites engaging in conspiracy theories — everything is jacked up to 11. And I haven’t really seen any major increase! I mean, there could be one and I just haven’t found it yet, but I am just not finding this!What it tells me is just more evidence of what I have been seeing for a long time, is that this is largely a stable phenomenon.COVID conspiracy theories are new, but only because COVID is new.And if you remove “Bill Gates” from the conspiracy theories about him, you go back in time and just plug in “Soros”, “Rockefellers”, “Rothschilds”, “Freemasons”, whatever you want! So you know, this is a plea to the conspiracy theorists: make up something fucking new, so that I can actually give a shit at this point! Because it is so boring, oh my God.It’s like “Soros all over again, are we still having this conversation?!”Yeah — Soros, or some rich person trying to take over the world and they are going to put chips in our neck… I’ve fucking heard it, dude.So look, we have this celebrity chef over in this part of the world — Chef Pete Evans — and he went and started with lots of posts about food, and over the last three months his Instagram is now your classic conspiratorial mess, with a lot of memes and crazy photoshopped images. If everyone has this baseline in the world of being susceptible to conspiracy theories, it does feel to me amplified by people’s presence on social media, and people seem to be going down that rabbit hole a lot easier.It’s hard to know. And this is the thing: I think what we are doing a lot is confusing our ability to see and measure something, with the idea that that something is happening more often.  And confusing anecdotes with data.And so you’d go back 30 years and there would be no social media, so you could not track people’s conversations. So you could not see what people were saying next to the water-cooler. But now you can.There is this view like “how did people talk before Twitter?” and it’s like “they fucking talked!”Rumours were going around long before social media, believe it or not. Only a few months after the Kennedy assassination, 50% of Americans believed it was a conspiracy. By the mid 70s it was 80%. It’s only come down 35 points during the internet era. So it’s sort of strange to say “they can travel further and faster than ever before” when technically, yes, in that I can put things online and they can be accessed in Thailand right now — but it doesn’t mean that anyone is accessing it and caring about it, or adopting it as a belief.Do you think the fact somebody who has an idea that is a bit out there — say, “COVID isn’t real” — that before, they would say that to their friends around the water-cooler and be shot down straight away, whereas now there can jump on Facebook and have access to a lot of other people who will back them up?No, I think it’s the exact opposite!Okay, talk me through this. This is interesting. I read tonnes of articles all the time that are like “how do I talk to friends who believe in conspiracy theories” as if no-one knows how to do this. So the assumption of your question is that everyone was always shooting down people’s conspiracy theories, and no-one does that on social media. I mean it gets done on social media quite a bit. And it may be the case that social media is less hospitable to conspiracy theories than other forms of communication. Just to bring up the mainstream media, it kills me they blame social media for this. Because they are some of the biggest players.It also kills me that political elites start mounting a campaign against Facebook and Twitter, saying these spread conspiracy theories. It’s like “no, it’s the politicians who spread conspiracy theories!” They have the bigger bully puppet! I mean why does everyone think COVID’s exaggerated? “Gee, I dunno, maybe it’s because the president said it was?”Maybe because radio personalities with massive syndicated audiences said it was?Maybe because Fox news keeps saying it? I was reading stories from the Washington Post about QAnon, meanwhile the other side of their mouth they are publishing all this UFO nonsense!We all love a good Area 51 story! Look, there is no doubt a Facebook algorithm will push you down further down into a direction you are already looking in, like if I am watching a lot of Alex Jones, I will get pushed further into that zone. But you’re already there! No-one is going to Alex Jones unless they are already there.Well, say something softer — you are watching a Jordan Peterson video, a softer in, and then you are jumping in. I mean when you are talking about algorithms not pushing them in this direction, and not affecting them I struggle with that.I think you would have a hard time convincing a person who does not have an Alex Jones worldview to accidentally fall into his website, and they go “oh yeah, the frogs are all turning gay!” I am not saying it can’t happen — I imagine someone who is a blank slate who is willing to believe anything — but in that case, they will flip from Alex Jones to some other thing and believe that. I don’t know how many of those people exist. Do you sometimes feel like you are screaming into the void with your ideas?I am always screaming into the void!Look, you are very calm, but I know you are constantly talking to the press and come back to the same points.Well it’s the same thing over and over. And the media, the journalists always get upset with me because I fuck their stories right away. Because the only thing they have read is from the same media bubble they are in, right? So every interview I have done this week is on QAnon, and they will say “please explain to me why it is getting so huge” and I’m like “well no, it’s not” and they’re like “fuck!”So, in a way this is a very heartening conversation because you are saying we are seeing the exact same number of people in the population are going to dive into this stuff as they ever did. Where do you see the problem lying, then? I don’t think social media is turning people into conspiracy theorists. That view needs to stop. I don’t think that people are becoming more conspiratorial.However even if this is stable, it is still a problem and we have to be honest about it being stable, and we have to be honest about where it’s coming from.And it’s coming from people who have stable world-views, and that probably comes out of their socialisation, and it’s going to take a little more work. We can’t just give someone a link and it will change their worldview. It’s a tougher problem than we imagine.And if we are going to start throwing blame, then there is a lot of blame that should be going around. There are members of Congress who should be blamed for spreading conspiracy theories. Many members of Congress should be blamed for the advertising they put out which borders on that sort of stuff, and engages in misinformation. The speeches of our leaders involve misinformation, and sometimes conspiracy theories. If we are going to be even handed about it there is a lot of guilt to go around. Yes, Trump engages in a lot of conspiracy theories. That is bad. But so did Bernie Sanders. Saying the one percent controls everything, I am sorry but that is a conspiracy theory. And if you were to replace the words “one percent” with anything else, you would get it.So — it is easy to pick on a few sources for this, but once you open to your eyes you start seeing it everywhere. I mean the channel Animal Planet, it’s supposed to be about real animals. That’s what I thought. What is the biggest production they ever did? It was “we found a mermaid, and it washed up on the shore because the Navy is killing the mermaids…”And the History Channel has Ancient Aliens...Yes, also on Animal Channel, Finding Bigfoot. Guess what? They haven’t found him yet. You go the mainstream news and there is often playing with conspiracy theories, going beyond the evidence. Whether it’s the Washington Post and the UFO stories, or — and I will say this — I am glad there was Trump Russia investigation, but a lot of the coverage went way beyond what the available evidence was saying, and there were a lot of theories getting popped up that were way beyond that was appropriate at the time.And when the Mueller Report came out, it fell flat on its face.And so it’s everywhere.And a lot of the things that are problems now, like anti-vax theories — well, some of the big starts for the anti-vax movement is because one of the biggest journals in the world, The Lancet, decided to publish a terrible paper that was fraudulent, should never have been published, and it took them 10 years to take it down!Maybe Oprah Winfrey, who brought Jennifer McCarthy on her show and gave her a mainstream voice to this nonsense. And Bobby Kennedy Jr who continues to push it, and Robert De Niro, and Jim Carrey. So you know, this is out there.And you could take social media away tomorrow and it would not make one iota of difference.It’s a big call, and an important call, and I find it confrontational when you say it, and it’s fucking fascinating.Yeah, a lot of blame to go around. It’s a much more complex topic than we think, and we can’t just point at Mark Zuckerberg and say “your algorithms are turning us into zombies” - it’s a much more nuanced situation we are in.Please tell me that day that occurred in the past where we weren’t believing in conspiracy theories. Come on! When did that happen?Point taken.And this is the thing, I show people the data and then they have to pull this bullshit, and they do the exact same manoeuvring conspiracy theorists do: they want to hold onto their belief. So when I tell people “we have been running polls on QAnon and it’s not getting bigger” they go “maybe polls aren’t appropriate in this instance!” Fuck off!And we don’t have any evidence the internet is driving people to this, or people have beliefs they didn’t have in the past.“Oh, but it’s because it’s so easy to get now and it’s the groups!”It’s like “no, screw off!”Look, I don’t want to come across too dogmatic about it —Oh you are!Here’s the thing: new theories will be adopted over time and social media will have something to do with it, but it is largely convincing people who are already prone to being convinced of that particular theory.I think that people would be a little slower in adopting some of these beliefs from not being on social. In New Zealand we have the Public Party and its lead by Billy TK, and he is into all the stuff: 5G is evil, COVID isn’t real, the UN has a big worldwide plan to depopulate the planet.And he’s getting big town hall meetings that I would argue wouldn’t happen if there weren’t 20,000 people (which is big numbers for New Zealand by the way!) who had found each other on Facebook.But they would have done it another way. And third parties have always existed, and people have found each other far before the internet. So we have lots of evidence of political parties, and cults, and religions forming long before there was Facebook for them to find each otherYeah, Scientology kicked off pretty well pre-Twitter right?Yeah, everything kicked off! Christianity kicked off before it had a Facebook page! Billions of followers. So you don’t need any of this [social media] stuff for this to happen.And any insinuation they do: were you born yesterday? Do you have amnesia? Do you realise all these things we have in the world are long standing institutions that formed long before Facebook?Well look, I appreciate this conversation. And I think it’s a point of view that is not represented in the media at the same level as the opposing view.That’s true!  And I think you are going to be continuing to shout, and I respect you for that.Yeah and continue to shout and be ignored, yeah! If I am sitting over here in New Zealand and I am petrified of these theories flung around on my Facebook feed and how damaging that can be, what are you freaked out by? What should I be worried about?What should you be worried about? I mean here is what worries me in general right now: I prefer beliefs to be tied more to the truth. So I think we all have a job to do when it comes to fighting against these beliefs. And while I will disagree with a lot of people about the origin of these theories and how and why they spread, I will agree that they are a problem. And I am fully invested in solving that problem.And I think we will do a better job if we have an understanding of the origin of these beliefs instead of just blaming Facebook for it.But most certainly I am on board with anyone who will take reasonable measures in pushing back.So in that case, banning Facebook pages, putting restrictions on social, those may end up being counterproductive.I am not in favour of government censorship of this stuff, I don’t think it helps in any meaningful way, because largely these things are going to be constrained to those people already disposed to it anyway. And all you are doing is proving to them that the government is out to get them!So there is something for all of us to do. We need to find ways to change beliefs, to change world-views. Maybe that comes in the way of critical thinking courses earlier on in the educational process. Instead of shovelling facts down people’s throats out of textbooks, teach them how those facts come to be accepted as knowledge and how they did they get into the textbook? How do we generate knowledge? Those things need to be front-loaded into education earlier on. Thanks, Joe. It’s a lot. It’s a lot to think about!Phew. It’s a lot to digest, I know. I hope you enjoyed this newsletter — whether you read it, or listened to it. David. Get full access to Webworm with David Farrier at www.webworm.co/subscribe

¿Creería usted que el mundo está dirigido por una camarilla de pedófilos adoradores de Satanás que conspiran contra Trump mientras operan una red mundial de tráfico sexual de niños? ¿Sabe usted que los supuestos pedófilos incluyen a Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama y George Soros, varios artistas y celebridades de Hollywood como Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres y figuras religiosas como el Papa Francisco y el Dalai Lama?. ¿Se los imagina usted a alguno de ellos abusando sexualmente de niños, asesinándoles y comiéndoselos para extraer de su sangre un químico que prolonga la vida? ¿creería usted que Donald Trump, el actual presidente de Estados Unidos, fue reclutado por los principales generales militares para postularse a la presidencia en 2016 con el fin de romper esta conspiración criminal de pedófilos, poner fin a su control de la política y los medios de comunicación y llevar a sus miembros ante la justicia?. ¿Piensa usted que hay algo de lógica en eso? Estas son algunas de las ideas que profesan los seguidores y divulgadores de Qanon, el término general para un extenso conjunto de teorías de conspiración, un culto que vive en las redes sociales, una especie de nueva religión, que para muchos es un movimiento extremista nacional. César Miguel Rondón profundiza el tema con el autor del libro American Conspiracy Theories y profesor de ciencias políticas en la universidad de Miami, Joseph Uscinski. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sincodigo/message

Matthew Schmidt of Univ of New Haven on Belarus protests. Jennifer Bartz of McGill Univ on how genes impact relationships. Joseph Uscinski of Univ of Miami on conspiracy theories. Margaret Quinlan, Univ of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Bethany Johnson, Univ of South Carolina, on mom-shaming. Federico Vaca of Yale's School of Med on teens waiting to drive.

Alex is joined by Joseph Uscinski, a political-science professor at the University of Miami to talk about the fast growing conspiracy theory with real-world consequences. 

Episode 1.1: “Who? Me? Paranoid?”, featuring Prof. Joseph Uscinski: The one where we wonder who “THEY” are, take slap shots at hockey players, and find out that “conspiracy theories are for losers”. Brought to you by survivalist bunkers. Visit our website: www.paranoidplanet.ca

Has the 1 percent really rigged the economy? Why do Argentinians believe the Vatican is hiding aliens? And finally, what’s the deal with Bigfoot (and the associated erotica therein)? University of Miami political scientist and conspiracy theory expert Joseph Uscinski joins Jonah to answer these questions, explain who believes such things, and why. We suggest you listen to this truly bizarre episode before the Lizard People take it off the air. Show Notes: -FiveThirtyEight podcast with Joe -The 1 percent rigs the economy, according to Bernie -Princess Diana conspiracy theories -8 out of 10 French people believe a conspiracy theory -How not to write about the Koch brothers -Rothschilds (Rothschildren?) control everything -QAnon -Yuval’s book, A Time to Build -Secret oil billionaires are out to get Obama -Oliver Stone's JFK -SaneBox.com/dingo for a $25 credit on your subscription See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world full of media, which may contain misinformation or fake news, there are conspiracy theories abounding. However, conspiracy theories, and the spreading of those theories, is not a new practice, it has been around and transmitting in any way that people communicate. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Joseph Uscinski talk about the origin of conspiracy theories and how these formal theories differ (and are similar) to the fake news and misinformation that fills our media screens today. They discuss some of the earliest US conspiracy theories, as well as some of the more modern ones, and how they are different now, with our current political climate, from what they may have done in the past. They also discuss why people believe these conspiracy theories, as well as why people believe in them, even in the face of refuting evidence.   Key Takeaways: The internet did not introduce the spread of conspiracy theories. They will always be spread in any way that people communicate. Our worldviews impact the media that we access, which then can filter which conspiracy theories we are likely to believe. The two most consistent predictors of those who believe in conspiracy theories are education and level of income.   "Most of the arguments about evidence, really aren’t about evidence - they’re just about subjective judgments about evidence, which gets us away from evidence and gets us back into how people interpret information and what the world views are they bring into interpreting that information." —  Dr. Joseph Uscinski   Connect with Dr. Joseph Uscinski: Twitter: @JoeUscinski  Website: JoeUscinski.com  Books: American Conspiracy Theories & Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them     Connect with Therese: Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Polls show that most people believe in at least one conspiracy theory. Considering the number of conspiracy theories there are, perhaps this isn't surprising. But research shows that people who believe in one conspiracy theory are more likely to believe in others.Part two of the Expert guide to conspiracy theories, a series from The Conversation's Anthill podcast, discovers who these people are. We find out what psychological factors influence whether you believe in conspiracy theories or not. And how things like the time and place that you live, who your friends are and who holds political power makes you more open to certain conspiracy theories.Jan-Willem van Prooijen, associate professor of psychology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands, explains his theory that humans are hardwired to believe in conspiracy theories. He says the circumstances of hunter gatherer life meant that our ancestors adapted to be overly suspicious.Times have changed but humans are stuck with this hangover from hunter gatherer times that we sometimes struggle to shake. We speak to psychologists Karen Douglas and Aleksandra Cichocka at the University of Kent in the UK to find out why certain people today are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories than others.We find out how political beliefs influence whether or not people believe in conspiracy theories. Joseph Uscinski, a political scientist at the University of Miami in the US, talks us through his theory that people who vote for the losing side in an election are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories than those on the winning side.For a slightly different perspective on who believes in conspiracy theories, we talk to anthropologist Annika Rabo from Stockholm University in Sweden. She spent many years in Syria doing fieldwork and tells us how talk about conspiracies permeates society – it's unavoidable. There are all sorts of conspiracy theories and they relate to the US, to Israel but also their own government.Jovan Byford, a social psychologist at the Open University in the UK, explains why it's important to understand the historical context in which certain conspiracy theories emerge and flourish. He points out that the status conspiracy theories are given in society influences how popular they are and that not everyone engages with them in the same way. Some take conspiracy theories seriously, but others don't and engage with them for fun.The Anthill podcast is produced by Annabel Bligh and Gemma Ware. Sound design is by Eloise Stevens, with original music from Neeta Sarl and audio from Epidemic Sound. Thanks to City, University of London, for letting us use their studios to record. Special thanks to Clare Birchall, Michael Butter and Peter Knight who helped bring this podcast into being, and to the COST Action COMPACT for funding it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Conspiracy theories are a part of the human condition. Everyone believes at least one, but given the number of conspiracy theories, it is more likely that everyone believes a few. Some people have a worldview defined by them. Conspiracy theories are just another reminder that people disagree about many things, including truth. These disagreements have always existed and always will. We have to live with conspiracy theories and with the people who believe them. The only way to do this is have compassion and tolerance for others, and to hold our own beliefs to high standards. This book introduces students to the research into conspiracy theories and the people who propagate and believe them. In doing so, it addresses the psychological, sociological, and political sources of conspiracy theorizingUscinski rigorously analyzes the most current arguments and evidence while providing numerous real-world examples so students can contextualize the current debates. Each chapter addresses important current questions, provides conceptual tools, defines important terms, and introduces the appropriate methods of analysis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Conspiracy theories are a part of the human condition. Everyone believes at least one, but given the number of conspiracy theories, it is more likely that everyone believes a few. Some people have a worldview defined by them. Conspiracy theories are just another reminder that people disagree about many things, including truth. These disagreements have always existed and always will. We have to live with conspiracy theories and with the people who believe them. The only way to do this is have compassion and tolerance for others, and to hold our own beliefs to high standards. This book introduces students to the research into conspiracy theories and the people who propagate and believe them. In doing so, it addresses the psychological, sociological, and political sources of conspiracy theorizingUscinski rigorously analyzes the most current arguments and evidence while providing numerous real-world examples so students can contextualize the current debates. Each chapter addresses important current questions, provides conceptual tools, defines important terms, and introduces the appropriate methods of analysis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patt Morrison talks with Joseph Uscinski and American political scientist who specializes in the study of conspiracy theories. He is co-author of the book American Conspiracy Theories.

Finally!!! And not a moment too soon...! Just when the New World Airport Commission was starting to get the better of us...We have the great opportunity to speak with Joseph Uscinski, an expert on the principles of conspiracy theories and what makes them so attractive to people. Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami, Professor Uscinski studies public opinion and mass media, with a focus on conspiracy theories. He’s the coauthor of 'American Conspiracy Theories', editor of 'Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them' and has been featured in the Washington Post, Vox, Politico and CNN and now Whatever Remains, but try not to hold that against him. We were very fortunate to have him join us and highly recommend his books: American Conspiracy Theories by Joseph E. Uscinski https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199351813/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_15wRCb7TEY628 www.joeuscinski.com/ Twitter: @Joeuscinski

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Hear the latest in Conspiracy talk from Associate Professor in Political Science at the University of Miami Dr. Joseph Uscinski from a logical side. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

the latest episode for June 28/2018 with conspiracies of the crowned prince and princess of the UK and wax figures!? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We get the latest countdown of conspiracies of the week with our show contributor Dr. Joseph Uscinski including the prime minister of Canada being replaced and the newly crowned UK princess being killed by the Queen of England! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this talk, Professor Joseph Uscinski will show that conspiracy theories follow a strategic logic: they are tools used by the powerless to attack and defend against the powerful. Conspiracy theories must conform to this logic, or they will not be successful. In this way, conspiracy theories are for losers. Joseph Uscinski is associate professor of political science at University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL and co-author of American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford, 2014). This talk was recorded at Conway Hall on the 18th July 2017 with The London Fortean Society. Hosted by Scott Wood.

THE SCIENCE OF CONSPIRACY THEORYRichard welcomes Joseph Uscinski, a political scientist and university professor to discuss why conspiracies are so popular in North American culture, how they're treated in the mainstream media, and the important role conspiracy theory plays in society.  He'll also discuss the history of conspiracy theories, particularly in the United States; and a series of experiments he conducted with students involving conspiracy theories.PART TWO - REAL LIFE PARANORMAL ENCOUNTERSRichard welcomes Joshua P. Warren, a veteran paranormal investigator and author to present a wide variety of weird and spooky tales about hosts, UFOs, cryptids, angels, demons, ESP, interdimensional contact, and more.

Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank joins historians Catherine Clinton and Joseph Uscinski to talk about military hero Zachary Taylor and the assassination theories that swirled around his death in the White House.

This week we discuss the history of conspiracy theories in America with Jesse Walker. What counts as a conspiracy theory? What are the different kinds of conspiracy theories? Are there any theories that have turned out to be true?How do these theories fade in and out of our national consciousness? Are there any uniquely libertarian conspiracy theories? Is there a way to recognize a conspiracy theory when we come across it?Show Notes and Further ReadingWalker’s books are The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory (2013) and Rebels on the Air: An Alternative History of Radio in America (2001).Walker mentions reading Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea’s Illuminatus! Trilogy when he was young. Here’s a video of Robert Anton Wilson speaking at the Libertarian Party’s nominating convention in 1987.Richard Hofstadter’s 1964 article “The Paranoid Style in American Politics.”Frederic Wertham’s 1954 book warning of the supposed dangers of children reading comic books, Seduction of the Innocent.Arthur Miller’s classic play “The Crucible,” which is a dramatized version of the Salem witch trials (and which was written as an allegory of McCarthyism).Joseph Uscinski and Joseph Parent’s American Conspiracy Theories uses empirical data to analyze trends in conspiracy theories between 1890 and 2010.Movies mentioned in this episode:Invasion of the Body-SnatchersThe Manchurian CandidateThey Live See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“Conspiracy theories are neither the vile excrescence of puny minds nor the telltale symptom of a sick society. They are the ineradicable stuff of politics.”That's a quotation from American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford UP, 2014), by Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, two professors of political science at the University of Miami.Their study of conspiracy theories concludes that nearly all Americans hold conspiracy beliefs and that “conspiracy theories bring to the surface people's deepest political anxieties.”The book studies American conspiracy theories over 120 years from 1890 to 2010. It analyzes well-known conspiracy theories such as the many about the assassination of JFK and the events of 9/11 to more obscure ones such as the Congressional plot to kill pet dogs. In this interview with the New Books Network, co-author Joseph Uscinski suggests American conspiracy theories can teach us a lot about everyday politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Conspiracy theories are neither the vile excrescence of puny minds nor the telltale symptom of a sick society. They are the ineradicable stuff of politics.”That’s a quotation from American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford UP, 2014), by Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, two professors of political science at the University of Miami.Their study of conspiracy theories concludes that nearly all Americans hold conspiracy beliefs and that “conspiracy theories bring to the surface people’s deepest political anxieties.”The book studies American conspiracy theories over 120 years from 1890 to 2010. It analyzes well-known conspiracy theories such as the many about the assassination of JFK and the events of 9/11 to more obscure ones such as the Congressional plot to kill pet dogs. In this interview with the New Books Network, co-author Joseph Uscinski suggests American conspiracy theories can teach us a lot about everyday politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Conspiracy theories are neither the vile excrescence of puny minds nor the telltale symptom of a sick society. They are the ineradicable stuff of politics.”That’s a quotation from American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford UP, 2014), by Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, two professors of political science at the University of Miami.Their study of conspiracy theories concludes that nearly all Americans hold conspiracy beliefs and that “conspiracy theories bring to the surface people’s deepest political anxieties.”The book studies American conspiracy theories over 120 years from 1890 to 2010. It analyzes well-known conspiracy theories such as the many about the assassination of JFK and the events of 9/11 to more obscure ones such as the Congressional plot to kill pet dogs. In this interview with the New Books Network, co-author Joseph Uscinski suggests American conspiracy theories can teach us a lot about everyday politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Conspiracy theories are neither the vile excrescence of puny minds nor the telltale symptom of a sick society. They are the ineradicable stuff of politics.”That’s a quotation from American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford UP, 2014), by Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, two professors of political science at the University of Miami.Their study of conspiracy theories concludes that nearly all Americans hold conspiracy beliefs and that “conspiracy theories bring to the surface people’s deepest political anxieties.”The book studies American conspiracy theories over 120 years from 1890 to 2010. It analyzes well-known conspiracy theories such as the many about the assassination of JFK and the events of 9/11 to more obscure ones such as the Congressional plot to kill pet dogs. In this interview with the New Books Network, co-author Joseph Uscinski suggests American conspiracy theories can teach us a lot about everyday politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Conspiracy theories are neither the vile excrescence of puny minds nor the telltale symptom of a sick society. They are the ineradicable stuff of politics.”That’s a quotation from American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford UP, 2014), by Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, two professors of political science at the University of Miami.Their study of conspiracy theories concludes that nearly all Americans hold conspiracy beliefs and that “conspiracy theories bring to the surface people’s deepest political anxieties.”The book studies American conspiracy theories over 120 years from 1890 to 2010. It analyzes well-known conspiracy theories such as the many about the assassination of JFK and the events of 9/11 to more obscure ones such as the Congressional plot to kill pet dogs. In this interview with the New Books Network, co-author Joseph Uscinski suggests American conspiracy theories can teach us a lot about everyday politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Conspiracy theories are neither the vile excrescence of puny minds nor the telltale symptom of a sick society. They are the ineradicable stuff of politics.”That's a quotation from American Conspiracy Theories (Oxford UP, 2014), by Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, two professors of political science at the University of Miami.Their study of conspiracy theories concludes that nearly all Americans hold conspiracy beliefs and that “conspiracy theories bring to the surface people's deepest political anxieties.”The book studies American conspiracy theories over 120 years from 1890 to 2010. It analyzes well-known conspiracy theories such as the many about the assassination of JFK and the events of 9/11 to more obscure ones such as the Congressional plot to kill pet dogs. In this interview with the New Books Network, co-author Joseph Uscinski suggests American conspiracy theories can teach us a lot about everyday politics.

“When we criticize the news, who are we really criticizing?” This is the final question asked by Professor Joseph Uscinski in his book, The People’s News: Media, Politics, and the Demands of Capitalism(NYU Press, 2014). The answer, Uscinski says in his interview, is us–the consumer. News producers, he writes, are merely responding to the demands of consumers, adjusting news content based on ratings, polls and audience demographics. The People’s News views news through the lens of news as a commodity beholden to market forces, not as a type of media. Combining the academic disciplines of media effects and political economy, The People’s News is a well-researched and well-reported look at what happens when the concepts of free press and democracy collide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When we criticize the news, who are we really criticizing?” This is the final question asked by Professor Joseph Uscinski in his book, The People’s News: Media, Politics, and the Demands of Capitalism(NYU Press, 2014). The answer, Uscinski says in his interview, is us–the consumer. News producers, he writes, are merely responding to the demands of consumers, adjusting news content based on ratings, polls and audience demographics. The People’s News views news through the lens of news as a commodity beholden to market forces, not as a type of media. Combining the academic disciplines of media effects and political economy, The People’s News is a well-researched and well-reported look at what happens when the concepts of free press and democracy collide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When we criticize the news, who are we really criticizing?” This is the final question asked by Professor Joseph Uscinski in his book, The People’s News: Media, Politics, and the Demands of Capitalism(NYU Press, 2014). The answer, Uscinski says in his interview, is us–the consumer. News producers, he writes, are merely responding to the demands of consumers, adjusting news content based on ratings, polls and audience demographics. The People’s News views news through the lens of news as a commodity beholden to market forces, not as a type of media. Combining the academic disciplines of media effects and political economy, The People’s News is a well-researched and well-reported look at what happens when the concepts of free press and democracy collide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices