Conspiracies

All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address FEATURE usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions. Teach the Conspiracies Renee Hobbs [email protected] 16 Knowledge Quest | Beyond the Horizon All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions. Volume 46, No. 1 | September/October 2017 17 All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions. t was a fine spring day in May when Rising on the Horizon: search engines, and controversies I I entered the Max Beckmann Conspiracy Theories about medicine and health. In times School in Frankfurt, Germany, to of anxiety and insecurity, conspiracy talk with teens about conspiracy It’s indisputable: disinformation, theories can be reassuring because theories as part of a U.S. State hoaxes, propaganda, and hyper- there is a clear identification of evil Department public affairs program. partisanship are increasingly global through simplifying the world into “Which ones were they familiar with?” phenomena. Educators, librarians, villains and victims. I wondered. policymakers, and community leaders are wondering about the Conspiracy theories are “sticky.” Due “Well, there’s the Illuminati and the implications of the changing to human information-processing chemtrails, just off the top of the information landscape. Anyone norms, people who believe in a hat,” the high school student smiled can publish and promote anything, conspiracy may receive social rein- shyly when asked about his familiar- and increasing political polariza- forcement from other like-minded ity with conspiracy theories. Another tion is being combined with feelings individuals through online echo student chimed in, “Then there’s the of powerlessness, disillusionment, chambers (Sunstein 2014). People question of who killed JFK—some apathy, and indifference to truth in a who believe one conspiracy theory people say it was the government. way that may compromise the future are more likely to believe others. And some people think that Jesus and of our democracy. Sadly, once a conspiracy theory is Mary Magdalene were lovers and had believed to be true, it can be difficult a child!” With the rise of so-called “fake to displace. Researchers who have news” comes renewed visibility for studied medical conspiracy theories Within minutes, these German high conspiracy theories, defined as find that 37 percent of Americans school students could recognize more beliefs rooted in us-versus-them agreed that the Food and Drug than a dozen conspiracy theories thinking. Conspiracy theories Administration is intentionally that they were at least a little bit may be seen as a special type of suppressing natural cures for cancer familiar with, including the possibly disinformation, defined as false because of pressure from drug faked moon landings and evidence information that is intended to companies. People who believe in of aliens in Roswell, New Mexico. mislead. Conspiracy theories embody medical conspiracies are less willing One girl talked about “birtherism,” the idea that a group of people make to follow traditional medical advice, explaining that Donald Trump secret agreements and take actions such as using sunscreens or vaccines, had espoused a theory that former to accomplish malevolent goals (van and are more likely to use alternative President Barack Obama was not a Prooijen 2017). As Michael Barkun treatments like supplements (Oliver U.S. citizen. Another wondered, “Is (2003) has expressed, conspiracy and Wood 2014). the idea that vaccines cause autism theories fundamentally proclaim: a conspiracy theory?” and one girl nothing happens by accident, Research is beginning to shed light noted, “Some people even think nothing is as it seems, and everything on the power of conspiracy theories. global warming is a hoax.” is connected. One finding shows that even a single exposure to a conspiracy theory can At this high-profile school with high- All over the world, the range of have effects on people’s attitudes performing students who were fluent conspiracy theories and their and anticipated behaviors; exposure speakers of English, some boys were visibility are increasing, say experts, causes people to have increased clearly attracted to the entertainment in part because of the rise feelings of powerlessness and disil- value of conspiracy theories, while of digital and social media. lusionment. In one experimental other students thought the theories research study, subjects who were were all rather silly. But they were “Conspiracy narratives are more shown a conspiracy theory video riveted by the discussion, exhibiting common in public discourse than claiming that climate change was a high levels of attention toward a topic they were previously,’’ said Eric hoax were significantly less likely to that clearly captured their interest. Oliver of the University of Chicago think there is widespread scientific Before this session, none of the (Suhrie 2014, 1). It seems that even agreement on human-caused climate students ever had the opportunity to the use of the term has broadened in change. They were less likely to say talk about conspiracy theories in a recent decades. Today many forms they would sign a petition to help school classroom. “It’s not something of generalized mistrust of authority reduce global warming, less likely to we generally talk about in school,” have come to be labeled as conspiracy give money to a political candidate, one explained. theories, including concerns about and less likely to use energy efficiency digital privacy, algorithms used by as a selection criterion when buying 18 Knowledge Quest | Beyond the Horizon All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions. All over the world, the range of conspiracy theories and their visibility are increasing, say experts, in part because of the rise of digital and social media. a light bulb or household appliance Approaches to Teaching Morrell, a professor at Teachers (Jolley and Douglas 2013). Conspiracy Theories College Columbia University, has argued that teachers and librarians Not surprisingly, liberals and High school librarians and teachers can reinforce certain values within conservatives are equally susceptible have long recognized that the topic their libraries and classrooms, but to conspiracy theories. Fortunately, of conspiracy theories is like catnip at home students will be surrounded education seems to be a mitigating to adolescent readers, with television by media images and text presenting factor. Educational background shows like Decoded and books like an often very different set of values. is associated with lowered belief The Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories Learners need to practice how to be in conspiracy theories, with 42 (Rough Guides 2013) attracting the critical of popular culture (Morrell percent of people without a high interests of teen boys and girls. 2004). Where else will students get school diploma believing multiple the chance to do this if not in school? conspiracy theories as compared Can conspiracy theories be explored For these reasons, some teachers with 23 percent of those with safely in schools without potential and school librarians are capital- postgraduate degrees (Uscinski and risk or harm? It’s possible that izing on teen interest in conspiracy Parent 2014). talking about conspiracy theories theories to explore ideas about the in schools merely validates them in constructed nature of authority and Given how contagious conspiracy the eyes of some students. Because the importance of being a skeptical theories are, it would seem natural of time limitations it’s possible that reader and thinker. for school librarians and other more complex issues and informa- educators to keep these potentially tion about these topics will get short For example, at Arthur L. Johnson dangerous ideas far away from the shrift. Some teachers and librarians High School in Clark, New Jersey, minds of impressionable adoles- insist that “quality first” dictates Dave Fosco and Rebecca Russo cents and young adults. But on the that conspiracy theories never be teach a semester-long social studies contrary, because of the increased permitted to enter the classroom. class called “Conspiracy Theories prominence of conspiracy theories throughout History.” At the in our culture today, it’s more However, when teachers and school beginning of the semester students important than ever to tackle the librarians make all the choices for discuss: topic of conspiracy theories head on students, students never get the as an approach to building media chance to learn how to make good • Why do conspiracy

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