The Conspiracist Style in American Extremism: An Education-Based Approach for Combating Compiracism

Master's Thesis, National Defense University College of International Affairs. Abstract: Conspiracism is a worldview defined by one or more conspiracy theories, usually with a tendency to perceive new events as intrinsically conspiratorial. After examining various factors in the formation and effects of a conspiracist worldview, this master’s thesis investigates the impact of conspiracism upon extremist ideologies and organizations within American society, including radicalization, recruitment, and military veteran involvement. It recommends a new, education-based approach to mitigating conspiracism within the United States Army to help prevent future extremism while better educating the overall force. It ultimately suggests that focused instruction in subjects such as political science, international relations theory, economics, history, and government administration, combined with enhanced training in critical-thinking and reasoning skills, may provide individuals with the tools necessary to prevent the adoption of the Manichean worldview typically found in conspiracy-theory-based extremism.Minor Edit for Grammar/Punctuation Errors:: March 31, 201