REDACT: Researching Europe, Digitalisation and Conspiracy Theories

Digital communication technologies enable the exchange, adaptation and adoption of conspiracy theories at an unprecedented speed and scale, facilitating the creation of counter-publics connected by a propensity for mis- and disinformation. The REDACT project will analyse how digitalisation shapes the form, content and consequences of conspiracy theories, including online sociality and offline actions and effects.

Rather than see digitalisation as a process that has universal outcomes, or conspiracy theories as the same over space and time, REDACT considers online conspiracy theories and counter-publics in different European regions (Western Europe, Central Europe, the Baltics and the Balkans) in order to make robust and nuanced recommendations about conspiracy theories – a particularly durable form of mis- and disinformation – for policy makers, media regulators, fact-checking and extremism-monitoring organisations, as well as the internet companies themselves.

CONSORTIUM:

  • Project LeaderClare Birchall, King’s College London, English Department, United Kingdom, e-mail
  • Michael Butter, University of Tuebingen, American Studies,Germany, e-mail
  • Elzbieta Drazkiewicz, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute for Sociology, Slovakia
  • Mari-Liis Madisson, University of Tartu, Department of Semiotics, Estonia
  • Nebojša Blanuša, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Political Science, Croatia

COOPERATION PARTNERS:

  • Banja Luka, University of Banja Luka
  • Oriana Ivkovic Novokmet, GONG/Faktograf
  • Miodrag Suvakovic, (FMK) Faculty of Media and Culture
  • Harald Weilnbock, Cultures Interactive
  • Hanne Wurzel, Federal Agency for Civic Education
  • Uli Jager, Berghof Foundation
  • Joe Collenette, ISD Global
  • Urmo Soonvald, Delfi,
  • Magdalena Biernat, Centrum Cyfrowe

 Start date

1 November 2022

Project duration

36 months

 Project budget

€ 1 461 494

Funding organisations