Conspiracy theories, populism and audiovisual media

In public conversation, conspiracy theories are often seen as a form of disinformation and closely tied to populist rhetoric. Today, conspiracy theories and populist thought figures are also largely conveyed through audiovisual fiction media such as TV series and feature films, but also through documentaries, political election films, and propaganda videos, etc. But are conspiracy theories always a form of disinformation and thus a threat to democratic institutions and practices? Are they always populist in some sense? And how are audiovisual expressions (sound, music, moving images) and narratives used in the construction of conspiracy theoretical and populist messages? This course examines the relationships between conspiracy theories and populism and the role audiovisual communication plays in the spread of conspiracy theoretical and populist discourses in contemporary times.