Extreme Beliefs - Part 1: Conspiracy Theories

We all have a relative or friend who spouts some kooky ideas, but what are conspiracy theories really all about? Let anthropologist Rob Lemelson untangle the psychological dynamics, cultural context, and social function of extreme beliefs. In this video he’ll define conspiracy theories, outline the cultural conditions that tend to give rise to them, trace similarities in conspiracy theories throughout history, from early modern European witch hunts to Q’Anon, and explain why conspiracy theories might be part and parcel of the universally human drive toward storytelling and meaning making.

Watch the full episode:

Resources:

AnthroSource (2025). Curated Collection: Conspiracies and Misinformation.

Price, D. H. (2016) Cold War Anthropology: The CIA, the Pentagon, and the Growth of Dual Use Anthropology. New York: Duke University Press.

Walker, J. (2014) The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory - A Comprehensive History of American Political Culture from Colonial Era to Today. New York: Harper Perennial.