Fusing two stigmatized knowledge claims legitimates each by association

Evidence

The ease with which stories of cattle mutilation were assimilated into the UFO literature was a paradigmatic case of fusing disparate forms of stigmatized knowledge. If cattle mutilations and alien spaceships could be connected, why not other stigmatized knowledge claims as well? — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 429

Categorization

• XREF: This mechanism of legitimating stigmatized beliefs by cross-citation parallels how disinformation networks mutually reinforce each other through citation — connects to my work on the law merchant and reputation systems where credibility accrues through association. — connects to: Belief in one form of stigmatized knowledge predicts belief in unrelated others — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 545

Broader Connections

• Belief in one form of stigmatized knowledge predicts belief in unrelated others #complicates (0.80) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 545