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SUMMARY:Rational enchantments:  Conspiracy theories between secular scepti
 cism and religious salvation - Stef Aupers  (CRASSH Visiting Fellow)
DTSTART:20140121T170000Z
DTEND:20140121T190000Z
UID:TALK49963@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Vickie Freer
DESCRIPTION:In the social sciences\, a conspiracy theory is often disquali
 fied as ‘irrational’ superstition or religious belief. In defense\, co
 nspiracy theorists present their methods of inquiry as utterly rational 
 – often even more scientific than ‘dogmatic’ institutionalized scien
 ce. In this lecture\, it is argued that both definitions of conspiracy the
 ories are inadequate: they are basically moral labels and informed by a po
 wer struggle over ‘true’ knowledge. At closer empirical  inspection\, 
 conspiracy theorists combine aspects of science and religion to find the 
 ‘truth out there’. On the one hand\, they embrace modern skepticism ab
 out contemporary institutions\, experts and the knowledge they produce. On
  the other\, they are motivated by a desire to believe in a progressively 
 ‘disenchanted world’: by making claims about invisible\, yet powerful 
 forces operating beyond the empirical surface of everyday life\, they attr
 ibute ultimate meaning to a modern\, rationalized and globalized society. 
 Conspiracy culture is a complex constellation of skepticism and belief –
  a rational form of re-enchantment. \n\nA short wine reception will follow
 . 
LOCATION:CRASSH Alison Richard Building\, 7 West Road\, Cambridge\, CB3 9D
 T
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