Project description
Understanding conspiracy theories in Europe
Conspiracy theories have become a divisive subject. Both governments and NGOs are engaged in efforts to prevent and counteract them. The ERC-funded CONSPIRATIONS project will examine the escalating tensions surrounding conspiracy theories in Europe. This endeavour goes beyond the conventional analysis focused on the perspectives of conspiracy theorists, also delving into the viewpoints of those who uphold the truth. The project will involve in-depth ethnographic case studies across Europe (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Poland, Sweden) and within EU institutions. It will also broaden its scope to investigate conflicts arising from conspiracy theories, exploring the intriguing possibility that these are interconnected. Ultimately, the project will provide a profound comprehension of these conflicts, their sociocultural backgrounds and their emergence within the varied European contexts.
Objective
In recent years, conspiracy theories have become an important issue not only to the people who propagate them, but also to those who fear their consequences and design initiatives to push back against the ‘post-truth’ era. Perceived as a major threat to liberal democracies, they are increasingly subjected to state-led interventions. Also many NGOs are now dedicated to preventing and combating conspiracy theories. Clearly, conspiracy theories have become a highly polarizing topic. The objective of CONSPIRATIONS is to analyse this growing tension over conspiracy theories in Europe. The project proposes an innovative approach which moves beyond an exclusive focus on ‘truthers’ to examine the perspective of ‘truth defenders’ as well. This project will analyse conspiracy theory not as a standalone phenomenon, but instead as an outcome of the complicated relationship linking stakeholders who are both separated and connected by the conspiratorial divide. By expanding the scope of study from conspiracy theories to conflicts over conspiracy theories, CONSPIRATIONS will explore the possibility that the worlds of these actors are mutually constitutive. This approach goes beyond the question of who is wrong and what to do about it. Instead, it offers a deeper understanding of the conflicts themselves, which are clearly of urgent importance for contemporary Europe. That understanding in turn will provide better knowledge for tackling the damaging effects of the conspiratorial divide. An important premise of this proposal is that the answer lies not in addressing the content of the conspiracy theories themselves, but rather the kinds of conditions that give rise to them. The secondary goal is to understand how these conflicts are influenced by social contexts, and how they unfold across diverse European settings. The objectives of this project will be achieved through ethnographic case studies in Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Poland, Sweden, and EU institutions.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- social sciences political sciences political policies civil society civil society organisations nongovernmental organizations
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2022-STG
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22100 Lund
Sweden
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