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Introduction : Researching Europe, Digitalisation and Conspiracy Theories

Birchall, Clare ; Blanuša, Nebojša ; Butter, Michael ; Drazkiewicz, Elzbieta LU orcid ; Knight, Peter and Madisson, Mari-Liis (2026) p.1-10
Abstract
This introduction defines the scope, structure and approach of the book, which presents the findings of the three-year collaborative research project ‘REDACT: Researching Europe, Digitalisation and Conspiracy Theories’. Specifically, it explains the studies major premises: (1) Conspiracy theories must not be conflated with disinformation, as public and scholarly discourses often do. Instead, they should be considered a distinct form of misinformation. (2) Any analysis of conspiracism needs to consider national histories and local specificities, since they have significant impact on the forms and function of online conspiracy theories in different European regions. (3) A mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods is needed to analyse... (More)
This introduction defines the scope, structure and approach of the book, which presents the findings of the three-year collaborative research project ‘REDACT: Researching Europe, Digitalisation and Conspiracy Theories’. Specifically, it explains the studies major premises: (1) Conspiracy theories must not be conflated with disinformation, as public and scholarly discourses often do. Instead, they should be considered a distinct form of misinformation. (2) Any analysis of conspiracism needs to consider national histories and local specificities, since they have significant impact on the forms and function of online conspiracy theories in different European regions. (3) A mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods is needed to analyse online conspiracy theories. It is also necessary to look beyond the internet, as conspiracy theories are part of a complex ecosystem that spans both the digital and the analogous world. Efforts to combat conspiracy theories must therefore be customised to local conditions and should not only focus on social media. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
conspiracy theories, great replacement, migration, europe, ukraine
host publication
Conspiracy theories in the European Digital Sphere
editor
Birchal, Clare ; Blanusa, Nebojsa ; Butter, Michael ; Drazkiewicz, Elzbieta ; Knight, Peter and Madisson, Mari-Liis
pages
10 pages
publisher
Routledge
ISBN
9781041129141
9781003667223
DOI
10.4324/9781003667223-1
project
Researching Europe, Digitalisation and Conspiracy Theories
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2d7e2ecf-7a32-4194-8a1b-070c8d89a5a4
date added to LUP
2026-08-07 14:24:35
date last changed
2026-08-28 03:32:41
@inbook{2d7e2ecf-7a32-4194-8a1b-070c8d89a5a4,
  abstract     = {{This introduction defines the scope, structure and approach of the book, which presents the findings of the three-year collaborative research project ‘REDACT: Researching Europe, Digitalisation and Conspiracy Theories’. Specifically, it explains the studies major premises: (1) Conspiracy theories must not be conflated with disinformation, as public and scholarly discourses often do. Instead, they should be considered a distinct form of misinformation. (2) Any analysis of conspiracism needs to consider national histories and local specificities, since they have significant impact on the forms and function of online conspiracy theories in different European regions. (3) A mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods is needed to analyse online conspiracy theories. It is also necessary to look beyond the internet, as conspiracy theories are part of a complex ecosystem that spans both the digital and the analogous world. Efforts to combat conspiracy theories must therefore be customised to local conditions and should not only focus on social media.}},
  author       = {{Birchall, Clare and Blanuša, Nebojša and Butter, Michael and Drazkiewicz, Elzbieta and Knight, Peter and Madisson, Mari-Liis}},
  booktitle    = {{Conspiracy theories in the European Digital Sphere}},
  editor       = {{Birchal, Clare and Blanusa, Nebojsa and Butter, Michael and Drazkiewicz, Elzbieta and Knight, Peter and Madisson, Mari-Liis}},
  isbn         = {{9781041129141}},
  keywords     = {{conspiracy theories; great replacement; migration; europe; ukraine}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--10}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  title        = {{Introduction : Researching Europe, Digitalisation and Conspiracy Theories}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/257406854/Introduction_26_08_06_10_30_09.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.4324/9781003667223-1}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}