Project description
Conspiracies in revolutionary Europe
During times of revolution, conspiracy theories often thrive, shaping public perception and sparking social unrest. Between 1789 and 1848, Europe saw a rise in such narratives, particularly in Britain, France, and Italy, as revolutionary movements intersected with fears of secretive, world-controlling elites. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the POPCOT project seeks to understand why these theories gained traction, examining their social and political impact. By tracing the spread of a shared conspiracy culture across Europe, the project explores how these beliefs contributed to mass mobilisation, political violence, and the development of democratic systems. POPCOT also tackles issues like misinformation, offering insights for today’s fight against harmful narratives in a globally connected world.
Objective
This project investigates the creation and circulation of conspiracy theories in revolutionary-era Western Europe (1789-1848), adopting a transnational angle that focuses specifically on France, Britain, and Italy. It aims to understand why historical actors created conspiracy theories; why these narratives resonated with wide audiences; and what social and political impact they had. The project will trace the emergence across Europe of a shared conspiracy culture, which interpreted major historical developments and global history at large as being driven by the schemes of a small, international cabal of plotters seeking world domination. It will examine why some sociocultural and national contexts proved particularly conducive to the spread of conspiracy theories while others exhibited greater resistance, and it will explore why conspiracist beliefs thrived in times of revolution. The analysis will address the impact of conspiracy theories on the development of democratic systems, their role in processes of mass mobilisation, and their contribution to violence against political, religious, and racial minorities. Drawing on recent scholarship in intellectual, social, and cultural history and the history of emotions, this project distinguishes itself through its unique transnational lens and its broad chronological scope, and for incorporating insights from other disciplines, including literary and communication studies and anthropology. As conspiracist tropes spread widely across the globe and influence electoral processes, this project provides a timely contribution to historical scholarship and to ongoing discussions on the fight against misinformation that are taking place in academia, journalism, and policymaking, thus addressing one of the priorities of the European Commission’s Digital Services Act. It will also enhance the fellow’s research profile, positioning him ideally to secure a tenure-track position.
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 media and communications journalism
- humanities history and archaeology history
- social sciences political sciences political transitions revolutions
- social sciences sociology anthropology
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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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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.
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
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.
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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
CV4 8UW COVENTRY
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.