Visual Cultures of Conspiracy Theories

International Conference | June 25–27, 2025 | Marburg University

Herder-Institut Marburg, Gisonenweg 5-7
35037 Marburg | City Hall, Markt 1, 35037 Marburg

Zur Online-Anmeldung/ For an online-participation register here

The Club of Rome has already stated: „The most important problem is our collective inability to distinguish between fact and fiction“. This observation could hardly be clearer in highlighting that conspiracy theories pose a major challenge to society and politics, with many societies seemingly losing the ability to distinguish between fact, fiction or outright falsehood. The presidency of Donald Trump and Brexit can be attributed, at least in part, to the use of disinformation, the political consequences of which have been and continue to be deeply felt. In addition, several studies have documented an increase in belief in conspiracy theories during the COVID-19 pandemic. And the digital sphere further amplifies the spread of conspiracy beliefs.

These challenges have, of course, long been recognised. However, there is still a lack of dedicated media studies research focusing on the mechanisms and construction of conspiracy theories in the digital space. Within this already underdeveloped field, there is still no major research initiative explicitly dedicated to the visual culture of conspiracy theories in digital environments. Against this backdrop, in-depth research into the visual digital culture of conspiracy theories is crucial, as images often serve as key components of argumentation in digital spaces and play a central role in conspiracy narratives.

Images have a significant impact on individual and collective imaginaries, not least because they are understandable across cultures and linguistic communities; they are easily processed by the human brain, and are associated with emotional engagement and authenticity.