There are plenty of myths and misapprehensions about conspiracy theories and the damage they do. In this path-breaking book, Parent and Uscinski sift fact from fiction to set the record straight about who believes in conspiracy theories, when, why, and with what political consequences. Their answers will surprise you.
David Runciman, University of Cambridge
This fascinating book tackles ... Read moresome of the thorniest questions about conspiracy theories: who believes them, why do they believe them, and how have these beliefs changed over time? The authors' extensive research shows that Americans are actually less prone to conspiratorial thinking than they were just a few decades ago. Their findings are surprising and sure to provoke debate on this timely and important topic.
Kathy Olmsted, University of California, Davis
Uscinski and Parent provide the most comprehensive social scientific explanation to date for why conspiratorial beliefs are so prevalent in the United States. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data sources, which remarkably include more than 100,000 letters to the editors of two major newspapers from 1890 to 2010, the authors convincingly identify the features uniting over a century of conspiratorial beliefs. This books is therefore a must read for anyone interested in political misinformation in general, and American conspiracy theories in particular.
Michael Tesler, University of California, Irvine
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