Jeffrey B. Webb is Professor of History at Huntington University, USA

Webb adeptly details how belief in conspiracies chip away at a population’s trust in the very elements that constitute a society. The ­author does a great job detailing conspiracies without assigning blame, merely pointing out the flaws in logic inherent to those theories... A solid reference book for curious and astute high school students.

• PrefaceChapter 1: Background and HistoryUnderstanding Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories in Ancient TimesConspiracy Theories in the Medieval EraThe Early Modern EraMachiavelli and the Conspiracy MindsetReligious Tensions Provide Fertile Ground for ConspiraciesPuritans and Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories Arrive in the New WorldA New Outlook in Colonial AmericaConspiracy Theories and the American RevolutionConspiracy Theories in the French RevolutionThe Illuminati Conspiracy TheoryThe Illuminati Conspiracy Theory in the United StatesAnti-Masonic Conspiracy Theories in the United StatesConspiracy Theories in the U.S. Civil War EraGilded Age Conspiracies and Conspiracy TheoriesThe New Immigrants and Anti-Semitic Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories in Science, Technology, and MedicineConspiracy Theories in the Mid-Twentieth CenturyThe JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theory PhenomenonToward the New MillenniumContemporary Anti-Government Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories Since 2000Chapter 2: Problems, Controversies, SolutionsProblems- Defining a Concept and Describing a PracticeHofstadter’s FrameworkExpanding the FrameworkConspiracy Theories as Stigmatized KnowledgeUnderstanding the Audience for Conspiracy Theories- Misinformation and DisinformationRules of Evidence and LogicConspiracy Theories in the Digital Age- Public Nuisance and Public HarmIdeas Can Be DangerousThe “Plandemic” EpidemicThe Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theory- Weakening Credibility of ExpertsThe Need for Experts9/11 Conspiracy Theories and the 9/11 Commission ReportCOVID-19 Conspiracy Theories and Public Health ExpertsControversiesOrigins of QAnonQAnon and Donald TrumpThe January 6 InsurrectionThe Right-Wing MediaThe Anti-Government Militia MovementChristian NationalismTruth, Belief, RealitySolutionsThe Marketplace of IdeasDebunking Conspiracy TheoriesTracking and Exposing Conspiracy TheoriesLegal Action Against Conspiracy TheoristsMental Health InterventionDeplatforming Conspiracy Theory SpreadersEducating the Next Generation in Media LiteracyResearch on Conspiracy TheoriesHow Conspiracy Theorists Make Their ArgumentsPredictors and Determinants of Conspiracy BeliefThe Importance of Information EnvironmentsEffects of Conspiracy Theory AdherenceReferencesChapter 3: PerspectivesConspiracy Theories and Myth-MakingChristopher R. FeeThinking Socially About Conspiracy TheoriesJeffrey S. Debies-CarlEvangelical Christian Culture and Conspiratorial TendenciesJared S. BurkholderConspiracy Theories in TurkeyAndrew WickershamHow to Spot Fake Health NewsBill SullivanVeterans and Conspiracy TheoriesMichael T. GamboneThe Warped Epistemology of Conspiracy TheoriesMaarten BoudryChapter 4: ProfilesAugustin Barruel (1741-1820)John Robison (1739-1805)Lebbeus Armstrong (1175-1860)Thomas R. Whitney (1807-1858)John Smith Dye (c.1821-1881)Henry Ford (1863-1947)John Thomas Flynn (1882-1964)Donald Edward Keyhoe (1897-1988)Dan Smoot (1913-2003) Richard Condon (1915-1996)Mark Lane (1927-2016)Robert H. W. Welch, Jr. (1899-1985)Milton William Cooper (1943-2001)Louis Farrakhan (1933- )Pat Robertson (1930-2023)Alex Jones (1974- )David Vaughan Icke (1952- )Ian R. Crane (1956-2021) Chapter 5: Data and DocumentsDocumentsDocument 5.1 - Misinformation, Conspiracy Theories, and ‘Infodemics’ (2020)Document 5.2 - Fanning the Flames: Disinformation and Extremism in The Media (2021)Document 5.3 – Links Between Conspiracy Theories and White Supremacist Violence (2022)Document 5.4 – Calling for a National Day of Reason (2023)Document 5.5 - How Conspiratorial Thinking is Undermining Democracy (2023)Chapter 6: ResourcesChapter 7: ChronologyGlossaryAbout the AuthorIndex

Jeffrey B. Webb is Professor of History at Huntington University, USA

Webb adeptly details how belief in conspiracies chip away at a population’s trust in the very elements that constitute a society. The ­author does a great job detailing conspiracies without assigning blame, merely pointing out the flaws in logic inherent to those theories... A solid reference book for curious and astute high school students.

• PrefaceChapter 1: Background and HistoryUnderstanding Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories in Ancient TimesConspiracy Theories in the Medieval EraThe Early Modern EraMachiavelli and the Conspiracy MindsetReligious Tensions Provide Fertile Ground for ConspiraciesPuritans and Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories Arrive in the New WorldA New Outlook in Colonial AmericaConspiracy Theories and the American RevolutionConspiracy Theories in the French RevolutionThe Illuminati Conspiracy TheoryThe Illuminati Conspiracy Theory in the United StatesAnti-Masonic Conspiracy Theories in the United StatesConspiracy Theories in the U.S. Civil War EraGilded Age Conspiracies and Conspiracy TheoriesThe New Immigrants and Anti-Semitic Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories in Science, Technology, and MedicineConspiracy Theories in the Mid-Twentieth CenturyThe JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theory PhenomenonToward the New MillenniumContemporary Anti-Government Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories Since 2000Chapter 2: Problems, Controversies, SolutionsProblems- Defining a Concept and Describing a PracticeHofstadter’s FrameworkExpanding the FrameworkConspiracy Theories as Stigmatized KnowledgeUnderstanding the Audience for Conspiracy Theories- Misinformation and DisinformationRules of Evidence and LogicConspiracy Theories in the Digital Age- Public Nuisance and Public HarmIdeas Can Be DangerousThe “Plandemic” EpidemicThe Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theory- Weakening Credibility of ExpertsThe Need for Experts9/11 Conspiracy Theories and the 9/11 Commission ReportCOVID-19 Conspiracy Theories and Public Health ExpertsControversiesOrigins of QAnonQAnon and Donald TrumpThe January 6 InsurrectionThe Right-Wing MediaThe Anti-Government Militia MovementChristian NationalismTruth, Belief, RealitySolutionsThe Marketplace of IdeasDebunking Conspiracy TheoriesTracking and Exposing Conspiracy TheoriesLegal Action Against Conspiracy TheoristsMental Health InterventionDeplatforming Conspiracy Theory SpreadersEducating the Next Generation in Media LiteracyResearch on Conspiracy TheoriesHow Conspiracy Theorists Make Their ArgumentsPredictors and Determinants of Conspiracy BeliefThe Importance of Information EnvironmentsEffects of Conspiracy Theory AdherenceReferencesChapter 3: PerspectivesConspiracy Theories and Myth-MakingChristopher R. FeeThinking Socially About Conspiracy TheoriesJeffrey S. Debies-CarlEvangelical Christian Culture and Conspiratorial TendenciesJared S. BurkholderConspiracy Theories in TurkeyAndrew WickershamHow to Spot Fake Health NewsBill SullivanVeterans and Conspiracy TheoriesMichael T. GamboneThe Warped Epistemology of Conspiracy TheoriesMaarten BoudryChapter 4: ProfilesAugustin Barruel (1741-1820)John Robison (1739-1805)Lebbeus Armstrong (1175-1860)Thomas R. Whitney (1807-1858)John Smith Dye (c.1821-1881)Henry Ford (1863-1947)John Thomas Flynn (1882-1964)Donald Edward Keyhoe (1897-1988)Dan Smoot (1913-2003) Richard Condon (1915-1996)Mark Lane (1927-2016)Robert H. W. Welch, Jr. (1899-1985)Milton William Cooper (1943-2001)Louis Farrakhan (1933- )Pat Robertson (1930-2023)Alex Jones (1974- )David Vaughan Icke (1952- )Ian R. Crane (1956-2021) Chapter 5: Data and DocumentsDocumentsDocument 5.1 - Misinformation, Conspiracy Theories, and ‘Infodemics’ (2020)Document 5.2 - Fanning the Flames: Disinformation and Extremism in The Media (2021)Document 5.3 – Links Between Conspiracy Theories and White Supremacist Violence (2022)Document 5.4 – Calling for a National Day of Reason (2023)Document 5.5 - How Conspiratorial Thinking is Undermining Democracy (2023)Chapter 6: ResourcesChapter 7: ChronologyGlossaryAbout the AuthorIndex

Jeffrey B. Webb is Professor of History at Huntington University, USA

Webb adeptly details how belief in conspiracies chip away at a population’s trust in the very elements that constitute a society. The ­author does a great job detailing conspiracies without assigning blame, merely pointing out the flaws in logic inherent to those theories... A solid reference book for curious and astute high school students.

• PrefaceChapter 1: Background and HistoryUnderstanding Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories in Ancient TimesConspiracy Theories in the Medieval EraThe Early Modern EraMachiavelli and the Conspiracy MindsetReligious Tensions Provide Fertile Ground for ConspiraciesPuritans and Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories Arrive in the New WorldA New Outlook in Colonial AmericaConspiracy Theories and the American RevolutionConspiracy Theories in the French RevolutionThe Illuminati Conspiracy TheoryThe Illuminati Conspiracy Theory in the United StatesAnti-Masonic Conspiracy Theories in the United StatesConspiracy Theories in the U.S. Civil War EraGilded Age Conspiracies and Conspiracy TheoriesThe New Immigrants and Anti-Semitic Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories in Science, Technology, and MedicineConspiracy Theories in the Mid-Twentieth CenturyThe JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theory PhenomenonToward the New MillenniumContemporary Anti-Government Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories Since 2000Chapter 2: Problems, Controversies, SolutionsProblems- Defining a Concept and Describing a PracticeHofstadter’s FrameworkExpanding the FrameworkConspiracy Theories as Stigmatized KnowledgeUnderstanding the Audience for Conspiracy Theories- Misinformation and DisinformationRules of Evidence and LogicConspiracy Theories in the Digital Age- Public Nuisance and Public HarmIdeas Can Be DangerousThe “Plandemic” EpidemicThe Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theory- Weakening Credibility of ExpertsThe Need for Experts9/11 Conspiracy Theories and the 9/11 Commission ReportCOVID-19 Conspiracy Theories and Public Health ExpertsControversiesOrigins of QAnonQAnon and Donald TrumpThe January 6 InsurrectionThe Right-Wing MediaThe Anti-Government Militia MovementChristian NationalismTruth, Belief, RealitySolutionsThe Marketplace of IdeasDebunking Conspiracy TheoriesTracking and Exposing Conspiracy TheoriesLegal Action Against Conspiracy TheoristsMental Health InterventionDeplatforming Conspiracy Theory SpreadersEducating the Next Generation in Media LiteracyResearch on Conspiracy TheoriesHow Conspiracy Theorists Make Their ArgumentsPredictors and Determinants of Conspiracy BeliefThe Importance of Information EnvironmentsEffects of Conspiracy Theory AdherenceReferencesChapter 3: PerspectivesConspiracy Theories and Myth-MakingChristopher R. FeeThinking Socially About Conspiracy TheoriesJeffrey S. Debies-CarlEvangelical Christian Culture and Conspiratorial TendenciesJared S. BurkholderConspiracy Theories in TurkeyAndrew WickershamHow to Spot Fake Health NewsBill SullivanVeterans and Conspiracy TheoriesMichael T. GamboneThe Warped Epistemology of Conspiracy TheoriesMaarten BoudryChapter 4: ProfilesAugustin Barruel (1741-1820)John Robison (1739-1805)Lebbeus Armstrong (1175-1860)Thomas R. Whitney (1807-1858)John Smith Dye (c.1821-1881)Henry Ford (1863-1947)John Thomas Flynn (1882-1964)Donald Edward Keyhoe (1897-1988)Dan Smoot (1913-2003) Richard Condon (1915-1996)Mark Lane (1927-2016)Robert H. W. Welch, Jr. (1899-1985)Milton William Cooper (1943-2001)Louis Farrakhan (1933- )Pat Robertson (1930-2023)Alex Jones (1974- )David Vaughan Icke (1952- )Ian R. Crane (1956-2021) Chapter 5: Data and DocumentsDocumentsDocument 5.1 - Misinformation, Conspiracy Theories, and ‘Infodemics’ (2020)Document 5.2 - Fanning the Flames: Disinformation and Extremism in The Media (2021)Document 5.3 – Links Between Conspiracy Theories and White Supremacist Violence (2022)Document 5.4 – Calling for a National Day of Reason (2023)Document 5.5 - How Conspiratorial Thinking is Undermining Democracy (2023)Chapter 6: ResourcesChapter 7: ChronologyGlossaryAbout the AuthorIndex