Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15176/vol53no207
Conspiracy Theories as Urban Legends with a Paranoid Matrix
Suzana Marjanić
orcid.org/0000-0002-6158-3006
; Institut za etnologiju i folkloristiku, Zagreb
Abstract
Given that Croatian folklore studies, ethnology and cultural anthropology have not yet interpreted conspiracy theories, the text emphasizes the systematic work of Krešimir Mišak, a science journalist, rock musician and science fiction author, who, as a conspiracy theory theorist, deals with the issue in the cult TV show Na rubu znanosti (On the Edge of Science; Croatian Television, airing since 2002). As far as Croatian scholarly interests are concerned, only Nebojša Blanuša, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, has dealt with the subject in his book Teorije zavjera i hrvatska politička zbilja 1980–2007 (Conspiracy Theories and Croatian Political Reality 1980–2007, published in 2011). He addresses conspiracy theories as an interpretative framework and a narrative paradigm which explains political events and processes as a consequence of deliberate and seemingly unrelated activities. In addition to dealing with conspiracy theories within the popular and political science framework, I will attempt to venture a view from folklore studies, where conspiracy theories could be defined as urban legends with a paranoid matrix.
Keywords
conspiracy theories, urban legends, global paranoia
Hrčak ID:
170724
URI
Publication date:
16.12.2016.
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