Fringe to Mainstream: How the complementary nature of conspiracy theories and populism manifests itself in the Alt-Right.
Keywords
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Issue Date
2021-08-16
Language
en
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
While the relationship between conspiracy theory and populism generally remains largely
understudied, it mostly lacks research into conspiracy theories and specific populist movements.
This thesis analyzes the complementary nature of populism and conspiracy theories and how the
effects that conspiracy theories tend to have within populist movements manifest themselves
in the specific context of the Alt-Right. By measuring the Alt-Right by the characteristics of
populism, it can be categorized as a populist movement. Academic literature combining
populism, conspiracy theories and the Alt-Right is scarce, but by combining research into the
conspiracy theories and populism and conspiracy theories and the Alt-Right, the research
question: how do populism and conspiracy theories complement one another, and how do the
effects that conspiracy theories tend to have within populist movements manifest themselves
in the specific context of the Alt-Right, can be answered. Conspiracy theories, populism and
the Alt-Right contain various shared characteristics that support their complementary nature.
By using the White Genocide, the manifestation of the effects of this CT within the case study
of the Alt-Right can be illustrated. By demonstrating how CTs manifest themselves in this
specific case study, this research contributes not only to the understanding of the effects within
the Alt-Right but also to the awareness of the possible effects of CTs on other populist
movements. Additional research into the manifestations of the effects of conspiracy theories
concerning other specific populist movements is necessary to draw more general conclusions.
Keywords: Alt-Right, (right-wing) populist movements, conspiracy theories, white nationalism,
White Genocide, post-truth.
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Letteren