ABSTRACT
Conspiracy theories are a routine – some would say ubiquitous – feature of Middle Eastern social and political discourse. This chapter discusses some of wider range of sources and dynamics, arguing that conspiracy theories are a multifaceted socio-political dynamic, but with important insights into, and implications for, the region’s politics, development and social relations. It examines the main sources of conspiracy theories, and then examines their transmission and impacts. Arguably the most important political source of conspiracy theories in the Middle East is the distance between states and societies. Islamic groups routinely use conspiracy theories, too, but there is far less evidence that the nature of the religion itself promotes such language. Both the prevalence and the sources of conspiracy theories in the Middle East point to why they matter to observers of the region. Conspiracy theories are important because they signify failings and disappointments among actors and forces across all the dynamics.
