Campus Location
Abilene Campus (Residential)
Date of Award
12-2019
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Communication
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Lauren Lemley
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Joe Cardot
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Cindy Roper
Abstract
Conspiracy theories are deeply embedded in American culture, especially in current American society. The popularity of conspiracy theories in general reveals that society is becoming increasingly skeptical of authoritative organizations. Because of “fake news” and the availability of information and connection on the internet, people feel as though they must question everything, even sources they previously viewed as unquestionable authorities.
My analysis looks at how online conspiracy organizations create and defend their arguments in an attempt to understand why conspiracy theories are so persuasive. I analyze the rhetoric of three online conspiracy theory organizations: the Flat Earth Society, the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), and 911truth.org. I use the theoretical framework of framing to analyze how these organizations prove their own credibility and the credibility of their sources to their readers. I also examine how these conspiracy organizations follow the popular narrative structure of the hero’s journey to persuade readers that truth is subjective. My analysis reveals that conspiracy organizations present themselves as credible mentors, providing readers with helpful information and resources to defend against traditional and foundational knowledge.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Runnels, Rachel, "Conspiracy Theories and the Quest for Truth" (2019). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 180.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/180