Conspiracism is the belief that hidden evil powers control human destinies

Evidence

On one level, such ideas might be attributed simply to the anxieties of a deeply shaken people, desperate to make sense of the shocking events. On another level, however, these and similar beliefs alert us to the existence of signifi cant subcultures far outside the mainstream. Surfacing in times of crisis and bound up with heterodox religion, occult and esoteric beliefs, radical politics, and fringe science, they have had a long-standing and sometimes potent infl uence in American life. It is with these beliefs—which in chapter 2 I refer to as stigmatized knowledge—that I am concerned. Binding these disparate subjects together is the common thread of conspiracism—the belief that powerful, hidden, evil forces control human destinies. — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 65

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces the central definition of conspiracism and stigmatized knowledge that frames the whole book.
• XREF: The ‘stigmatized knowledge’ concept connects to the reader’s interest in how fringe claims gain or lose credibility. — connects to: Conspiracism functions as a political explanation of hidden power — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 1077; Conspiracy beliefs fundamentally function to delineate and locate evil — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 71; Classic conspiracism treats visible facts as misleading surface hiding concealed truth — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying: The New…, 13 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Conspiracism functions as a political explanation of hidden power #expands (0.85) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 1077
• Classic conspiracism treats visible facts as misleading surface hiding concealed truth #expands (0.80) — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 13
• Conspiracy theories give concrete form to a group’s sensed loss of power #expands (0.80) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 58
• Conspiracy beliefs fundamentally function to delineate and locate evil #expands (0.75) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 71