Conspiracy theory in America [[electronic resource] /] / Lance deHaven-Smith

• Autore: DeHaven-Smith Lance
• Pubblicazione: Austin, : University of Texas Press, 2013
• Edizione: 1st ed.
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (273 p.)
• Disciplina: 364.10973
• Soggetto topico: Conspiracies - United States - History; Conspiracy theories - United States - History; Political culture - United States - History - 20th century; Political culture - United States - History - 21st century
• Soggetto geografico: United States Politics and government 1945-1989; United States Politics and government 1989-
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: ""List of Illustrations and Tables""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""Introduction: High-Crime Blind""; ""1. The Conspiracy-Theory Label""; ""2. The American Tradition of Conspiracy Belief""; ""3. Conspiracy Denial in the Social Sciences""; ""4. The Conspiracy-Theory Conspiracy""; ""5. State Crimes against Democracy""; ""6. Restoring American Democracy""; ""Appendix: CIA Dispatch #1035-960""; ""Tables""; ""Notes""; ""Bibliography""; ""Index""
• Sommario/riassunto: Ever since the Warren Commission concluded that a lone gunman assassinated President John F. Kennedy, people who doubt that finding have been widely dismissed as conspiracy theorists, despite credible evidence that right-wing elements in the CIA, FBI, and Secret Service—and possibly even senior government officials—were also involved. Why has suspicion of criminal wrongdoing at the highest levels of government been rejected out-of-hand as paranoid thinking akin to superstition? Conspiracy Theory in America investigates how the Founders’ hard-nosed realism about the likelihood of elite political misconduct—articulated in the Declaration of Independence—has been replaced by today’s blanket condemnation of conspiracy beliefs as ludicrous by definition. Lance deHaven-Smith reveals that the term “conspiracy theory” entered the American lexicon of political speech to deflect criticism of the Warren Commission and traces it back to a CIA propaganda campaign to discredit doubters of the commission’s report. He asks tough questions and connects the dots among five decades’ worth of suspicious events, including the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy, the attempted assassinations of George Wallace and Ronald Reagan, the crimes of Watergate, the Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages deal, the disputed presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, the major defense failure of 9/11, and the subsequent anthrax letter attacks. Sure to spark intense debate about the truthfulness and trustworthiness of our government, Conspiracy Theory in America offers a powerful reminder that a suspicious, even radically suspicious, attitude toward government is crucial to maintaining our democracy.
• Titolo autorizzato: Conspiracy theory in America
• ISBN: 0-292-74911-2
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910825494503321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II
• Serie: Discovering America series.