The Rise of the Conspiracy Theory

The Rise of the Conspiracy Theory

In association with TAM London 2010

Wednesday 20th October 2010, 19.00 – 21.00 @ The Horse Hospital.

Central to the ideologies of the totalitarian regimes and authoritarian governments of the 20th century, conspiracy theories were commonly used against groups; socialists, anarchists, the Kulaks, the Jews. Then something changed, and conspiracy theories became in the popular imagination something that was committed by the government. From Pearl Harbour to JFK, from the Moon landings to Princess Diana time and again the government, the establishment or “Military-Industrial complex” is seen to act against the people’s interests. By the time we get to 9/11, it seems that people are willing to believe governments capable of anything. How did this change in emphasis arise? Is it justified? Joining Neil Denny, presenter of the Little Atoms Radio Show to discuss the rise of the conspiracy theory are;

David Aaronovitch – Writer, broadcaster and commentator, Times Columnist and author of Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History.

James McConnachie – Author of The Book of Love: In Search of the Kamasutra, The Rough Guide to Sex, and co-author ofThe Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories.

Jon Ronson – An acclaimed filmmaker and broadcaster, who made the 5 part series Secret Rulers of the World and the award winning Tottenham Ayatollah for Channel 4, and author of Them: Adventures with Extremists and The Men Who Stare at Goats.

Francis Wheen – Deputy editor of Private Eye, and a News Quiz regular. Author of How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World: A Short History of Modern Delusions and Strange Days Indeed.

This event is ticketed. Tickets cost £4 each and can be purchased via Paypal below.

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Mary Evans.

As subscribers to The Skeptic will be aware, many of the images that we use in the magazine are supplied to us by the Mary Evans Picture Library in Blackheath. The library was founded in 1964 by Mary and her husband, Hilary. We recently announced the winners of an essay competition in Mary's honour.

It is with sadness that I inform you that Mary Evans died peacefully in her sleep on the morning of 29 June. She had been suffering from Alzheimer's for the last four years. Further details of Mary's life can be found here.

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Skloot served for eight years on the Board of Directors of the National Book Critics Circle, where she was a vice president and judge for their yearly book awards. She has a B.S. in biological sciences and an MFA in creative nonfiction. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, her debut book, took more than a decade to research and write, and instantly became a New York Times best-seller.

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