ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the use of conspiratorial ideas by right-wing actors and attempts to evaluate them in the light of liberal norms of democratic discourse. From podcasters like Joe Rogan and Russell Brand to political movements like the contemporary Libertarian Party, “conspiracism” is a tactic increasingly employed to challenge the power and legitimacy of elites. These actors believe they are making valuable contributions to democracy by providing needed space for considering/debating controversial political views. They attempt to “shine a light” on political phenomena as they provoke their listeners to consider conspiratorial thinking. Evaluating conspiracism, however, is a complex task. Its rhetorical power is well known to those who speak it, but assessing its validity is problematic for those who hear it. In addition to scrutinizing the rhetorical approaches of the actors mentioned earlier, this chapter also suggests a theory of evaluation for conspiracism that uses liberal norms as guardrails and that lends itself to practical employment by democratic citizens trying to navigate contemporary public discourse.
