Introduction

Populism and conspiracy theory are clearly connected. However, the relationship between the two has so far been hardly systematically explored. There is not only a lack of case studies of specific actors, parties, movements, or countries, especially with regard to left-wing populism and conspiracism. The relationship between populism and conspiracy theory as such has also not yet been satisfactorily theorized. The volume at hand contributes to filling these two gaps in research by providing in-depth analyses of specific configurations of populism and conspiracy theory and more theoretical considerations. The introduction first defines populism and conspiracy theory, then provides an overview of extant research on the connection between the two with a special focus on theorizations of the relationship, and introduces the different contributions to this book by situating them in the current scholarly debate.