n. pl. con·spir·a·cies
1. An agreement to perform together an illegal, wrongful, or subversive act.
2. A group of conspirators.
3. Law An agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime or accomplish a legal purpose through illegal action.
4. A joining or acting together, as if by sinister design: a conspiracy of wind and tide that devastated coastal areas.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
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St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture
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Aimed at researchers and students, this accessible source on popular culture ranges from fast food and fitness fads to political events and literary genres. Major topics include: art, books, fashion, magazines, movies, music, politics, sports, television and many others.
The 9/11 - Documents
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This work offers a sweeping collection of A-Z entries and primary source documents that presents a thorough examination of all the individuals, groups, and events surrounding the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, The 9/11 Encyclopedia: Second Edition offers valuable perspective on this emotionally charged and multidimensional subject. This comprehensive two-volume encyclopedia details the events leading up to the attacks, going back a decade prior to 9/11, and covers all the major players involved. It also examines events and discoveries since 2001 that have influenced our understanding of--and reactions to--the world-changing attacks. In the second edition, dozens of entries have been updated and many new ones added. The documents volume has been expanded as well. With more than 170 A-Z entries, dozens of descriptive sidebars, and over 55 primary-source documents, this updated encyclopedia is an essential source for comprehending one of the darkest moments in American history. Includes 3 introductory essays, more than 170 entries, 60 photographs, and 10 charts A documents volume of more than 55 key primary source documents, including new ones added for the second edition A detailed chronology of key events surrounding the 9/11 terrorist attacks An annotated bibliography listing the most authoritative works about 9/11
Gale Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained
Responding to the surging interest among students for information on topics relating to magic, witchcraft, the supernatural and other mysterious phenomena, Thomson Gale presents this in-depth, comprehensive three-volume set. Information is arranged in an objective manner, presenting varying viewpoints when appropriate, and is written at a level that younger students and researchers can understand. Chapters offer a thorough look at the history of each topic and cover the people and practices, as well as popular literature, television programs and movies, related to the subject. Other features include approximately 300 photos and illustrations; "Making the Connection," a detailed glossary; "Delving Deeper," a helpful further readings section; and a cumulative index. Sidebars highlighting unusual facts, features, and people, as well as related books, films, Web sites, and other sources of relevant information.
JFK Assassination Logic
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The mother of all conspiracy theories is the supposed one about the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Many of its elements have become part of American folklore: the single bullet, the grassy knoll shooter, and the mysterious deaths of interested parties. 'JFK Assassination Logic' shows how to approach such conspiracy claims.
Empire of Conspiracy
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Why, Timothy Melley asks, have paranoia and conspiracy theory become such prominent features of postwar American culture? In Empire of Conspiracy, Melley explores the recent growth of anxieties about thought-control, assassination, political indoctrination, stalking, surveillance, and corporate and government plots. At the heart of these developments, he believes, lies a widespread sense of crisis in the way Americans think about human autonomy and individuality. Nothing reveals this crisis more than the remarkably consistent form of expression that Melley calls "agency panic"?an intense fear that individuals can be shaped or controlled by powerful external forces. Drawing on a broad range of forms that manifest this fear?including fiction, film, television, sociology, political writing, self-help literature, and cultural theory?Melley provides a new understanding of the relation between postwar American literature, popular culture, and cultural theory.Empire of Conspiracy offers insightful new readings of texts ranging from Joseph Heller's Catch-22 to the Unabomber Manifesto, from Vance Packard's Hidden Persuaders to recent addiction discourse, and from the "stalker" novels of Margaret Atwood and Diane Johnson to the conspiracy fictions of Thomas Pynchon, William Burroughs, Don DeLillo, and Kathy Acker. Throughout, Melley finds recurrent anxieties about the power of large organizations to control human beings. These fears, he contends, indicate the continuing appeal of a form of individualism that is no longer wholly accurate or useful, but that still underpins a national fantasy of freedom from social control.
Web of Conspiracy
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From 9/11 and Roswell to Princess Di and the grassy knoll, this survey explores 18 of the world’s most intriguing conspiracy theories. The facts surrounding each theory are examined in detail, exploring the background of those who presented them as well as other lesser-known arguments. Following the recent virtual explosion of conspiracy theory interest and activity on the World Wide Web, the examination includes recommendations for websites that advocate, speculate, and debunk. At once informative and entertaining, this is a detailed, clear-eyed exploration for those who think they've heard it all.
Unexplained!
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An authoritative, intelligent, and well-reasoned examination of strange artifacts and events that have long perplexed scientists, Unexplained! is an award-winning exposition of the strange and mysterious. Journey to the outer limits of science and nature and explore a wide range of unknown and enigmatic phenomena. The truth is out there, and looking for it is the real fun. Documenting the evidence and hearing witnesses out, Jerome Clark brings an engaging narrative to the stories, objectively presents their many possible explanations, and lets the reader decide.
Encyclopedia of Social Networks
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Request a FREE 30-day online trial to this title at www.sagepub.com/freetrialThis two-volume encyclopedia provides a thorough introduction to the wide-ranging, fast-developing field of social networking, a much-needed resource at a time when new social networks or "communities" seem to spring up on the internet every day. Social networks, or groupings of individuals tied by one or more specific types of interests or interdependencies ranging from likes and dislikes, or disease transmission to the "old boy" network or overlapping circles of friends, have been in existence for longer than services such as Facebook or YouTube; analysis of these networks emphasizes the relationships within the network . This reference resource offers comprehensive coverage of the theory and research within the social sciences that has sprung from the analysis of such groupings, with accompanying definitions, measures, and research.Featuring approximately 350 signed entries, along with approximately 40 media clips, organized alphabetically and offering cross-references and suggestions for further readings, this encyclopedia opens with a thematic Reader's Guide in the front that groups related entries by topics. A Chronology offers the reader historical perspective on the study of social networks. This two-volume reference work is a must-have resource for libraries serving researchers interested in the various fields related to social networks.
Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology
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"Provides a survey of topics covering the entire spectrum of psychology, including notable people, theories and terms; landmark case studies and experiments; applications of psychology in advertising, medicine and sports; and career information"--
Encyclopedia of Misinformation
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Rumors Ideas and Influence
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Throughout history, literary works of all kinds have been used to spread propaganda and influence public opinion for or against one cause or another. The Literature of Propaganda examines these literary works and explores ways in which propaganda shapes public opinion, persuades its audience, and impacts society. In addition, it seeks to answer the following questions: How is propaganda described in literature? How is it used to influence our views? How do we recognize a work as propaganda? Propaganda has been used in one form another to influence the public opinion for or against one cause or another. From early theater, to public speeches, to magazines, books, film and more, propaganda pervades our society. Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary defines propaganda as 2: the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person 3: ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further ones cause or to damage an opposing cause, also: a public action having such an effect. The Literature of Propaganda showcases propaganda portrayed in literature:, such as Aldous Huxleys Brave New World, Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451, and George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four. It also features literature that was specifically created as propaganda or used in that way:, such as The Moon is Is Down by John Steinbeck, and The Leopards Spots, The Clan 01
Conspiracies of Conspiracies
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It's tempting to think that we live in an unprecedentedly fertile age for conspiracy theories, with seemingly each churn of the news cycle bringing fresh manifestations of large-scale paranoia. But the sad fact is that these narratives of suspicion--and the delusional psychologies that fuel them--have been a constant presence in American life for nearly as long as there's been an America. In this sweeping book, Thomas Milan Konda traces the country's obsession with conspiratorial thought from the early days of the republic to our own anxious moment. Conspiracies of Conspiracies details centuries of sinister speculations--from antisemitism and anti-Catholicism to UFOs and reptilian humanoids--and their often incendiary outcomes. Rather than simply rehashing the surface eccentricities of such theories, Konda draws from his unprecedented assemblage of conspiratorial writing to crack open the mindsets that lead people toward these self-sealing worlds of denial. What is distinctively American about these theories, he argues, is not simply our country's homegrown obsession with them but their ongoing prevalence and virulence. Konda proves that conspiracy theories are no harmless sideshow. They are instead the dark and secret heart of American political history--one that is poisoning the bloodstream of an increasingly sick body politic.
Covering American Politics in the 21st Century
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This encyclopedia provides a real-world guide to American political journalism and news coverage in the 21st century, from the most influential media organizations and pundits to the controversies and practices shaping modern-day political journalism. Over the last 20 years, political campaigns and the media that cover them have been fundamentally altered by a mix of technology and money. This timely work surveys the legal, financial, and technological changes that have swept through the political process, putting those changes in context to help readers appreciate how they affect what the public learns--and doesn't learn--about the candidates and lawmakers at the local, state, and federal levels. The encyclopedia offers a critical examination of a broad range of topics organized in a narrative, A-to-Z format. Written by journalists and political experts, the two volumes cover the major issues, organizations, and trends affecting both politics and the coverage of political campaigns. Some 200 entries treat everything from news organizations, think tanks, and significant individuals to questions concerning money, advertising, and campaign tactics. Objective, unbiased, and comprehensive, the encyclopedia is an unequaled resource for anyone seeking to understand American political journalism and news coverage in the 21st century. Offers impartial and objective coverage of the largest and most influential individuals and organizations in American political media Explores the ways in which public officials and political activists attempt to spin news coverage Shares in-depth surveys of hot-button issues concerning the practice of both journalism and politics in the modern era Includes hard-hitting primary documents from well-known political and media figures that provide perspectives on what happens when the worlds of news and politics collide Pulls from journalistic and scholarly work as well as firsthand accounts from biographies and official statements to illuminate the intersection of media and politics for readers
Information Pollution As Social Harm
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The coronavirus pandemic struck the world in a very distinctive way: experience from past pandemics or from more recent outbreaks could give us only a limited understanding of how the situation was likely to unfold. In this context, and with cyberspace being increasingly used to support health-related decision making and to market health products, potentially harmful behaviours have been carried out by individuals propagating non-science-based health (mis)information and conspiratorial thinking. This includes, among other actions, boycotting the use of masks and physical distancing, proactively opposing the use of the COVID-19 candidate vaccines, and promoting the use of useless or even dangerous substances to prevent or resist the virus. By relying on a virtual ethnography approach carried out on Italian-speaking alternative lifestyle and counter-information online communities, this book shows how the nature of personal interactions online and the construction of both personal and group identities through the development of an 'us vs. them' narrative, are central to the creation and propagation of medical misinformation. This book is essential reading for researchers in the social, health, and data sciences and also professionals interested in scientific communication.
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