ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to look at conspiracy theory as a particularly interesting example of popular knowledge. As popular knowledges go, conspiracy theory is certainly a resilient example. Texts that have helped popularize conspiracy theory can be considered as cultural texts which circulated and still circulate not only the individual hypotheses presented through their narratives, but a particular knowledge-producing discourse that determines those hypotheses. A commodified conspiracy theory is one that invites knowledge without belief or commitment. The death of Princess Diana only becomes suspicious if an excess that the official Story or history cannot explain is acknowledged. The Diana theories reveal contemporary conspiracy theory to be an instantaneous response reliant upon an already established knowledge network. Compared to the activity online, there were relatively few articles charting the interest in Diana conspiracy theories in the mainstream press.
