The hidden hand: Why religious studies need to take conspiracy theories seriously

Abstract

AbstractWhat seemed like fringe concerns to most then have, with Trump's election and Brexit and the growth of the alt‐right across Europe, become of concerns of mainstream commentators. Moreover, the rise of ISIS and the increasingly overt religious language being employed in the political sphere have made the powerful combination of religion and conspiracy plain. This emerging subdiscipline cuts to the very core of some of the most pressing issues in the academic study of religion––and indeed, the social sciences more generally in this postcolonial environment. This article is intended to set out its scope and some of its future directions.