Sep 10, 2015
Political Scientist Joe
Uscinski is the guest on this week's episode
of The Chauncey DeVega Show. He is the co-author of
the new book American Conspiracy
Theories.
It is
now 14 years since the tragedy of September 11th. In this episode
of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Professor Uscinski and
Chauncey discuss the conspiracy theories that have come into
existence about that tragic day, how they function as a type of
alternative belief system more generally,
and the
relationship between political values and a given person's
propensity to believe in them.
Chauncey
and Joe also dialogue about the role race plays--or not--in
anti-Obama "Birtherism" and other related
matters.
Dr.
Uscinski's ability to bring rigorous empirical techniques to the
discussion of what is often empty conjecture and emotion about
American conspiracy theories is refreshing and
exciting.
In
this episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Chauncey
also does some sharing about his feelings of decrepitude on his
birthday, offers up some "fun" conspiracy theories about a brand of
tropical punch that supposedly made black men sterile, relays his
own 9/11 memories, reads some Slavoj Zizeck, and gives a really
good reason for why folks should wash the clothes they buy before
wearing them.