Conspiracy & Populism: The Politics of Misinformation

Conspiracy & Populism: The Politics of Misinformation 1st ed. 2018 Edition

Review 1

“Conspiracy and Populism: The Politics of Misinformation, Eirikur Bergmann, goes beyond theUnited States to track belief in conspiracy thinking globally. … [It]provides considerable summary of important political conspiracies as well as innovative andcompelling theses to explain their popularity, their functions, and their dangers. Anyone who is interested in or working on contemporary political conspiracies willwant to read [this book]. It will also be of interest to anyone trying to understand the global rise of thepopulist right in historical context.” (Judith Grant, New Political Science, June 28, 2019)

“Conspiracy & Populism enters into dialogue with political science, communication studies and psychology. It offers a comprehensive introduction to the study of CTs, their links to populism and their potential impact on traditional political processes. Thanks to its interdisciplinary approach and its competent review of the literature, Bergmann’s work will prove particularly useful to students and early career researchers interested in taking populism and CTs seriously.” (Tatiana Coutto, The International Spectator, Vol. 54 (2), 2019)

Review 2

“In this thoughtful and engaging book, Bergmann masterfully weaves together research findings from diverse disciplines to show how right-wing populists utilize conspiracy theories to achieve their political agendas.” (Professor Karen Douglas, University of Kent, UK)

“Recent decades have seen a disturbing convergence of populism and conspiracy theory. The populist rhetoric of conspiracy theory has found a home in the White House and the Kremlin, and fears of an Islamist conspiracy to take over Europe have played into Brexit and the rise of the nationalist populism in France and elsewhere. Bergmann’s timely book provides a clear and readable analysis of how and why populism and conspiracy are connected, and what this means for politics today.” (Professor Peter Knight, The University of Manchester, UK)

“The close connection between populism and conspiracy theory has often been observed but never systematically explored. Eirikur Bergmann’s important book closes this gap, as it puts the relationship centre stage for the first time. It will thus shape the debate on both phenomena for some time to come.” (Professor Michael Butter, University of Tübingen, Germany)