This book explains how and why conspiracy theories have become such a powerful political weapon. From stolen-election claims to vaccine scepticism and global elite plots, conspiracy theories have moved from the political margins to the centre of public life. In an era of polarised politics, digital campaigning, and democratic backsliding, they increasingly shape elections, mobilise voters, and undermine trust in institutions.
Organised around four core themes, the volume analyses the political logic of conspiracy theories, their impact on democratic governance, and the challenges they pose to public debate. It presents original empirical case studies of conspiratorial narratives circulating during election campaigns and across social media, and examines the role of political entrepreneurs, parties, and far-right movements in producing and amplifying them.
By bringing together insights from political theory, sociology, political science and empirical research, this book offers a compelling framework for understanding conspiracy theories as a defining feature of contemporary political conflict. It is essential reading for scholars and students of political sociology, comparative politics, and cultural studies. Drawing on shared theoretical foundations across multiple disciplines, this book provides a comprehensive account of conspiracy theories as a central feature of contemporary politics.
Chapter 1: Conspiracism and Political Conflict: An introduction.- Part
One: What are Political Conspiracy Theories.
Chapter 2: Political
Conspiracism: A definition.
Chapter 3: In Search of a Culprit Conspiracy
Theories, Hermetic Semiosis, and Scapegoating.
Chapter 4: National
sovereignty as conspiracy?.- Part Two: Raising Awareness for and Debunking
Fake News: Journalism and counter Strategies.
Chapter 5: Conspiracy theories
and conspirationism in democratic systems: EUs institutional strategies to
respond to the new challenges.
Chapter 6: When Are You Gonna Start Telling
the Truth? Conspiratorial Thinking and Attacks on Journalists During the
Canadian Freedom Convoy.- Part three: Conspiracism in electoral campaign.-
Chapter 7: Support for Populist Parties and Climate Change Attitudes:
Evidence from Six Countries in the Aftermath of 2024 European Elections. -
Chapter 8: Conspiratorial Communication Among Political Elites: Evidence from
Belgian politicians on Social Media.- Part four: Far right & Conspiracies.-
Chapter 9: Linking Populism and Conspiracy: A Discursive approach.
Chapter
10: Influencers of the Far-Right: Gendered Narratives in the Conspiracy
Discourse of Thaïs DEscufon and Lana Lokteff.
Chapter 11: Right-Wing
Populism and the Culture Industry: Russell Brand and Conspiratorial
Discourse.
Chapter 12: Far Right Climate Skepticism across Europe.
Chapter
13: Manufactured emergencies and metapolitical struggles in far-right
alternative media: climate conspiracism in Il Primato Nazionale and
Compact-Magazin.
Chapter 14: Conclusion. Conspiracism and Political
Conflict: Lessons Learned and the Road Ahead.
Manuela Caiani is Associate Professor in Political Science at Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy, where she is part of the COSMOS (Centre on Social Movement Studies) research team. Her research focuses on far right politics, populism, social movements and political participation in Europe.
Marco Solinas is an Associate Professor in Political Philosophy at the SantAnna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, at the Institute of Law, Politics and Development. He has published widely on critical theory of society, populism, political theory and conspiracy theories, with a focus on political conspiracism and authoritarianism.
Hans-Jörg Trenz is full Professor at Scuola Normale Superiore, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Italy, and Chair in Sociology of Culture and Communication. He held previous positions at Münchner Projektgruppe Sozialforschung (1997-98), Humboldt University, Berlin (1998-2005), ARENA Centre for European Studies, the University of Oslo (2005-2021) and the University of Copenhagen (2011-2021).
