-Caveat Lector-
Call for Papers:
The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories
Dear Colleague,
I cordially invite you to contribute to the "Psychology of Conspiracy Theories" special
theme issue, December, 2000, of _Clio's Psyche: Understanding the 'Why' of Culture,
Current Events, History, and Society_. We seek articles on the historical motivation
of
conspiracy theories -- the Why here and Why now? Why there and Why then? -- from
a psychological or psychoanalytic perspective, supported by examples from current
events
or history.
SUGGESTED TOPICS INCLUDE:
- Historical overview of conspiracy theories
- Psychodynamics of conspiracy theories
- Ethnic and racial group conspiracy theories as part of group's identity
- Childhood roots of conspiracy theories
- Conspiracy theories as traumatic reliving
- The pleasure and pain of the secret knowledge of conspiracy theories
- Which historical circumstances favor the development and diffusion of conspiracy
theories
- Distinguishing between real and rational conspiratorial politics, and imagined and
irrational
conspiracy theories
- Revisiting Richard Hofstadter's "The Paranoid Style in American Politics" 35 Years
Later
- Beyond "pathology," or the legitimate social function(s) of moderate mainstream
"conspiracism"
- Reasonable suspicion as a rational watchfulness rather than paranoia
- Meeting the need to know vis-à-vis government and organization secrecy
- Satisfying the need for enemies against whom the self or group can be defined
- Collective delusions that reflect real social problems
CASE ANALYSES:
- New World Order (NWO) and militias
- Alien encounters and government cover-up
- Anti-Semitism in Japan without Jews
- AIDS and drugs among Afro-Americans
- Death of Princess Diana
PROFILES OF:
- Militia members
- Pat Robertson and the Christian Right
- Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam
CONSPIRACY THEORIES IN MEDIA:
- The "conspiracy community" of radio, books, magazines, and Internet sources that
promote
conspiracy theories
- Conspiracy theories as entertainment, even thrill-seeking
- Greek mythology/literature/theater and Shakespeare's plays as an ancient form of
media promotion
of conspiracy theory
- Radio talk shows
- Television's "X-Files" and/or profile of Chris Carter
- Cinema's Conspiracy Theory (1997), Parallax View (1974), and Manchurian Candidate
(1962), as well
as other paranoia films
- JFK (1992) and/or profile of Oliver Stone
- Are conspiracy theories on the Internet, with the many sites, zines, newsgroups, and
mailing lists, just
more of the same or is it qualitatively different?
- Analyzing two to four weeks of postings to electronic mailing list "CTRL"
(Conspiracy Theory Research
List) or newsgroup "alt.conspiracy" or both.
REVIEW ESSAYS OR REVIEWS:
- Mark Fenster, Conspiracy Theories: Secrecy and Power in American Culture (1999)
- Carl F. Graumann and Serge Moscovici (eds.), Changing Conceptions of Conspiracy
(1987)
- George E. Marcus (ed.), Paranoia Within Reason: A Casebook on Conspiracy as
Explanation (1999)
- Timothy Melley, Empire of Conspiracy: The Culture of Paranoia in Postwar America
(2000)
- Nancy Lusignan Schultz (ed.), Fear Itself: Enemies Real and Imagined in American
Culture (1998)
- Daniel Pipes, Conspiracy: How the Paranoid Style Flourishes and Where It Comes From
(1997)
- Robert Singh, The Farrakhan Phenomenon: Race, Reaction, and the Paranoid Style in
American Politics (1997)
We are looking for articles from 500 to 1500 words -- including your brief biography
-- written for the
educated layperson and without psychological/psychoanalytic terminology or jargon.
An abstract or outline should be submitted by October 1 and the article by October 15,
e-mailed as a
Microsoft _Word_ or a rich text format (*.rtf) file to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Articles will be refereed.
The editors reserve the right to reject any article as unsuitable.
I hope you can join this important endeavor. If you have any questions please contact
me at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] . _Clio's Psyche_, a scholarly quarterly now in its seventh
year of
publication, is edited by Paul H. Elovitz, PhD, and published by the Psychohistory
Forum. For more
information, please visit our Web site at www.cliospsyche.com.
Sincerely,
Bob Lentz, Associate Editor
_Clio's Psyche_
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
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