Browsing by Author "Holmqvist, Ira"

Tiivistelmä – Referat– Abstract Covid-19 conspiracy theories have figured actively in the media and the public debate during the first two years of the pandemic. One of the main functions that such conspiracy theories of society and politics perform is cultural work – they create new representations of reality that give rise to new identities and collectivities. Researchers are increasingly interested in exploring how conspiracy theories come to be so compelling and how people through them create meaning and construct their identities. Qualitative studies that examine the contents of these conspiracy theories and the possibilities for identity construction that they provide are of crucial importance in forming such an understanding. This thesis responds to appeals from researchers to investigate the ways in which gendered identities are implicated in modern conspiracy theories. Critical discursive psychology is employed as a theoretical framework to explore the ways in which men and women are positioned in a Covid-19 conspiracy theory discourse. The material consists of video recordings of two online conferences where 29 influential actors of 9 different nationalities discuss the pandemic as a conspiracy. The results indicate that the Covid-19 conspiracy theory, as represented in the seminars, largely possesses similar characteristics as modern conspiracy theories more generally, blending political subject matter with spiritual or religious descriptions. The pandemic is depicted as confirmation for the existence of a global totalitarian conspiracy that is escalating into an apocalyptic scenario, a development that can only be averted if humanity undergoes a spiritual awakening, collectively reclaiming their individuality and agency. Men and women are positioned differently within this story. Women are positioned primarily as mothers, whose duty it is to protect their children from the conspiracy, as well as to inspire other women to do the same. This maternal identity is depicted as empowering, spiritual and influential, representing a compelling subject position. In addition, the pandemic, that has placed restrictions on the public sphere, is depicted as a threat to a hegemonic masculinity that emphasizes the role of men as providers and (violent) protectors. Men are positioned as effeminate weaklings who have capitulated to the Covid-19 conspiracy without putting up a fight. A return to traditional, heteronormative gender roles is thus represented as central to resisting the conspiracy. The study provides insight into the ways in which gender identity contributes to the formation of modern conspiracy theories and collectives, and particularly into how feminine identities may be engaged in a right-wing populist, anti-conspiratorial political project.