Look at different factors that the readings this week and whatever else you want to pull in from previous weeks mention. Think about demographic factors such as age, gender, sex, and also psychographic factors such as education, etc. And with that, answer the following questions as parts of “who” agrees with conspiracy theories:
a) What two or three factors can you see that primarily suggest that “this” kind of person will be more likely to agree with a conspiracy theory, and perhaps why?
b) We’ll read much more about social media, but to what extent does social media do you think (maybe even in relation with some of the factors you have identified in part a) above) increase or decrease the likelihood that again someone will agree with conspiracy theories?
c) Okay, after reading the selected pages from the pieces from Pipes or Drochon, do you think people from the Middle East or really, any other part of the world like Europe or a place like Russia) are any different from us as far as buying into conspiracy theories? If they are different, in what ways? If not, are those same factors you identified in a) above apply here with them as well? To some extent, in a bigger way, what purposes do conspiracy theories serve? What kind of logic do each area’s stories possess? Where do the conspiracies come from and who are they mostly about? Note who tends to generally bring up conspiracies and who are named within them as the “villains?” And hang onto this last part especially; this might be helpful in your last paper.
