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WiSe 22/23: Sociology of Conspiracy Theories

Philipp Wunderlich

Kommentar

Conspiracy theories are ubiquitous and have recently gained attention in new-right political campaigns, social media networks and in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, sociology has its difficulties in defining and coming to terms with the phenomenon. This may in part be the case, because social theory and conspiracy theories both attempt to explain social phenomena and it can be hard to draw a demarcation line between the two (Nefes and Romero-Reche 2020). Also, the term itself is normatively charged and can be used strategically to discredit particular groups or actors. Last, knowledge of about the truth value of conspiracy theories is sometimes hard to come by. They often form hermetic imaginaries and belief systems that are hard to challenge and some of their claims may very well be factual.

In this course, we will draw on literature and analyses from a variety of disciplines in order to build a sociological understanding of conspiracy theories. This includes accounts from sociology of knowledge, sociology of emotions, social psychology, political sciences, media and communications studies and social theory, among others. The course goals are to 1.) arrive at a preliminary definition of conspiracy theories, 2.) understand micro- and macro-level conditions and mechanisms contributing to their emergence and dissemination through social networks and media channels 3.) gather field-specific knowledge on empirical cases, 4.) discuss practical approaches to decrease negative outcomes like societal polarization and extremism and 5.) critically discuss how conspiracy theories are socially constructed as a form of deviant knowledge and to which degree they may in some cases even increase agency and contribute to social change. Schließen

Literaturhinweise

Literature: Butter, Michael, and Peter Knight, eds. 2020. Routledge Handbook of Conspiracy Theories. London: Routledge.