The Cameron University Department of Social Sciences will present “Conspiracy Theories in American Politics,” featuring Dr. James LaPlant, on Thursday, April 22, at 2 p.m To receive a secure Zoom link to the virtual presentation, email Dr. Lance Janda at lancej@camero.edu or call 580-581-2517.
LaPlant will examine alleged and actual conspiracies in American political history from the founding of the Republic to the 2020 Presidential Election. He will address how and why conspiracy theories form, the reasons they appeal to particular groups in American culture, and how they have grown and evolved since the emergence of social media and the internet. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of how Americans can best combat conspiracy-style thinking and retain or restore their faith in traditional institutions.
A professor of political science and Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Valdosta State University, LaPlant teaches courses on conspiracy theories in American politics, research methods, and southern politics. His work on intergovernmental relations, public policy and electoral behavior has appeared in numerous journals. He has directed study abroad programs to the Czech Republic, and his research on Czech political parties has been published in “Publius: The Journal of Federalism.”
This virtual presentation is made possible by the Dr. William L. and Barbara Scearce Endowed Lectureship in Political Science.
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