300751 Conspiracy theories 2.0 – the digital spread of conspiracy theories (S) (WiSe 2024/2025)

On January 6, 2021, the Capitol Attack took place in Washington D.C. The demonstrators carry posters with the inscription "Q sent me". Posters with this inscription can also be found at the so-called Querdenker demonstrations. This addresses the QAnon conspiracy theory, which sees a satanic elite as the mastermind behind the world's political powers. The QAnon conspiracy theory is sometimes unique, as its origin and dissemination can only be found in the digital realm. The aim of the seminar is to provide an insight into sociological conspiracy research. One focus will be on current research on digital conspiracy narratives. During the seminar, we will work out together which methodological standards are necessary for researching cross-platform communication offers (from alternative platforms to social media). Investigations into the spread of misinformation will also be relevant. This includes the memetic dissemination through alternative platforms (4chan, 8chan and reddit) as well as the dissemination and amplification of misinformation in filter bubbles and echochambers on social media.