Conspiracy Theory Beliefs and their Impacts in Turkey: The Gezi Park Case

Building on Max Weber’s sociological theory, this study proposes that value-laden and instrumentally rational predispositions can explain beliefs in conspiracy theories in Turkey. It argues that changing political contexts influencing people’s values and partisan preferences lead to fluctuations between left- and right-wing tendencies in conspiracy theorizing. The presentation discusses two studies. The first explores the significance of the Turkish government’s conspiracy theories about the Gezi Park Protests in a popular forum website, Eksisozluk. The second study (with Ozan Aksoy, University College London) examines two nationwide surveys. Both researches confirm that people interpret the conspiracy theories in line with their values and interests.

Speaker: Türker Salim Nefes

This event is free and open to the public!