In this keynote, Birchall will explore conspiracy theory as a contestation over knowledge through the idea of ambivalence: holding conflicting feelings or contradictory ideas about something.

Selfreflexively, this involves a re-examination of her stance, outlined in Knowledge Goes Pop, that conspiracy theory is a necessary possibility of knowledge, one that shows us how all knowledge is only ever speculation/theory and how legitimacy is conferred by mystical foundations. What are the implications of this considering the monopolisation of conspiracism by the populist right? She will also look at the ambivalence displayed by some former conspiracy content producers towards contemporary conspiracism. Contestations over knowledge do not, therefore, only occur between obvious factions (the counterdisinfo sector vs conspiracy influencers or FIMI operatives; medical institutions vs conspiritualists; fact-checked legacy media vs free speech evangelist online platforms etc.) but also within one realm or subjectivity. We can refer to this as conspiracy ambivalence. What can this condition tell us about the politics of knowledge today?

This lecture is part of the conference ‘Truthers’ and ‘Truth Defenders’: Understanding Conflicts over Conspiracy Theories, which is organised by the team of the ERC project CONSPIRATIONS.

more information about the conference and the project can be found here: https://projekt.ht.lu.se/conspirations/conference-2025/call-for-applications/

CONSPIRATIONS is Funded by the European Union (ERC, CONSPIRATIONS, 101077810). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.