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QAnon, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Meaning
QAnon, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Meaning
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Description
QAnon, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Meaning diagnoses a particular social challenge facing Americans in the 21st century: the rise and spread of dangerous conspiracy theories across the internet.
Rather than dismiss such theories as the product of delusions, this book argues that the true conspiracy these theorists are trying to uncover is really located in a critique of neoliberal capitalism, austerity, and economic precarity. The authors contextualize QAnon as a misguided response to larger economic conditions endemic to late capitalism. Such a scholarly approach provides unique insight into some of the salient factors that make conspiracy theories such as QAnon so popular at a time of unprecedented information literacy. In their assessment, fighting conspiracy theories thus requires a radical realignment of the social, political, and economic priorities of the United States.
Accessibility Information
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- PDF/UA-2, 1.4
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Has alternative text descriptions for images
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- Page list to go to pages from the print source version
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Table of Contents
List of Tables
Introduction: QAnon, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Meaning
Chapter One: Basket of Deplorables: Labeling Theory, Moral Panics, and Subcultural Identity
Chapter Two: The System is Rigged: Structural Betrayal and the Rise of QAnon
Chapter Three: The Gamification of QAnon: Apophenia, Cognitive Dissonance, and Parasociality
Chapter Four: The “Big Tent” Conspiracy Theory: QAnon and the Left
Chapter Five: Who are Q?: The Demographics of Conspiracy Theory
Chapter Six: Do They Really Believe this Stuff?
Conclusion: QAnon Goes Mainstream
Bibliography
Index
About the Authors
Product details
| Published | 15 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (PDF) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 176 |
| ISBN | 9798216260080 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Series | The Frankfurt School in New Times |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
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QAnon, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Meaning offers a compelling and theoretically sophisticated analysis of contemporary conspiratorial culture. Conner, Roscigno and Hannah show how QAnon is not a glitch in the system of neoliberal capitalism but its most revealing symptom. QAnon's appeal, the authors argue, is not hindered by its apparent irrationality but is a result of it: in an era of eroded trust, hollowed institutions and pervasive insecurity, it offers a myth that renders chaos legible and grievance meaningful. This book provides a clear-eyed account of belief and alienation in the age of surveillance capitalism and algorithmic amplification.
Peter Knight, University of Manchester, UK

























