From tinfoil hat to democratic knowledge? Reimagining journalism through discourses on conspiracy theories about minoritised groups

Application summary

This pioneering project challenges the status quo in journalism research, which typically pathologises conspiracy theories as threats to democracy amid concerns over journalism’s legitimacy crisis coupled with the rise of mis/disinformation. Instead of dismissing conspiracy theories offhand, we lean on the emerging field of conspiracy theory studies to approach them as a form of suppressed democratic knowledge that sheds light on lived realities of minoritised groups. By studying unconventional reporting on conspiracy theories by and about minoritised groups, the project aims to propose a new role for journalism in a democracy. To this end, we introduce the concept of ‘post-Enlightenment journalism’, shifting focus from objective reporting toward emancipatory, pluralistic practices that value minoritised experiential knowledge, even when expressed through conspiratorial explanations. Empirically, the research unfolds across the divergent journalistic cultures of Finland and Poland. Methodologically, the project uses a mixed-methods design combining Structural Topic Modelling with Discourse-Theoretical Analysis and Foucauldian Discourse Analysis. The work is structured into four work packages. Empirical WPs 1-3 study (1) mainstream meta-journalistic discourse on conspiracy theories as well as alternative—progressive and left-leaning—media’s discourses on conspiracy theories about (2) migration and (3) gender. WP4, in turn, is theoretical in nature, geared towards developing the theory of post-Enlightenment journalism, particularly by elaborating its normative dimension. The project’s boldness lies in its willingness to treat conspiracy theories as potential democratic knowledge, challenging both journalistic and academic orthodoxy, and proposing a transformative normative framework for journalism. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and public engagement, we aim to equip journalists with resources for more inclusive and socially relevant reporting.