Populism and Religion Seminar Series

Formerly under the umbrella of Lund’s research platform on Christianity and Nationalism, the seminar series on populism and religion is now organized by the Lund University-based research project Beyond Truth and Lies: Conspiracy Theories, Post-Truth, and the Conditions of Public Debate, which is also an affiliate of the research program At the End of the World. The series focuses on the theoretical, philosophical, and theological dimensions of populism, with special attention to how conspiracy theories intersect with populism. 

Certain conceptions of politics – including political community, political processes, and political decision-making – characterize typical formulations of populist thought. A fundamental conviction of this seminar series is that we must investigate these conceptions if we want to engage in dialogue that goes beyond plain-sense descriptions of, or explanations for, facts, and which deeply addresses questions about how society is – and ought to be – organized. Conspiracy theories – including corresponding elements of culture that shape and are shaped by conspiracy theories – have become increasingly more public in their significance on politics, political decisions, and political movements. We welcome to our seminars a range of intellectually interested parties to discuss these matters, including senior and junior scholars, doctoral students, and beginners. 

Seminars are in English, unless otherwise specified. Seminars are open to the public; you may attend by joining on Zoom.

A list of events for Spring 2024 is posted here:

“Microdosing Conspiracy Theories in Politics”

Dr. Elżbieta Drążkiewicz specializes in organisational and political anthropology. In the Department of Ethnology at Lund University, she is currently leading the ERC project CONSPIRATIONS, investigating conflicts over conspiracy theories in Europe. More information, including an abstract, can be found on this page.
Time: 26 February 2024, 16:15–18:00 (Sweden time)
Place: Zoom— https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/62645329724

“Co-constructing Future Pasts: Eschatology & History on 4chan /pol/”

Lauritz Holm Petersen, a PhD fellow in the Study of Religion at Aarhus University, investigates religious narratives about future end times scenarios from the perspective of computational narratology and the cognitive and evolutionary science of religion. More information, including an abstract, can be found on this page.
Time: 21 March 2024, 16:15–18:00 (Sweden time)
Place: Zoom— https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/62645329724

“Conspiracy and the Assault on Democratic Institutions”

Nancy L. Rosenblum (Senator Joseph Clark Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government emerita in the Department of Government at Harvard University) and Russell Muirhead (Robert Clements Professor of Democracy and Politics in the Department of Government at Dartmouth College) will give a presentation and seminar forwarding arguments related to their co-authored book A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy (Princeton University Press, 2019). You can find more information on this page.
Time: 10 April 2024, 16:15–18:00 (Sweden time)
Place: Zoom— https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/62645329724

“What if… the Qanon Conspiracy Theory is True? Political Reality According to Conspiracist Imaginaries”

This seminar by Rickard Andersson (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Lund University's Centre for Theology and Religious Studies) will proceed from a thought experiment: If the conspiracy theory known as QAnon were true, what would political reality have to be like? This makes it possible to outline some basic features that the political world must possess, should some of the things envisioned by QAnon advocates be correct, and highlight how such conspiracist imagines rely on personalistic conceptions of the constitution of political reality. In lieu of a proper conclusion, the presentation will end with a suggestion about how conspiracist imaginaries fit with contemporary political discourse. You can find more information on this page.
Time: 15 May 2024, 16:15–18:00 (Sweden time)
Place: Zoom— https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/62645329724

You can also find a list of other upcoming events related to our project and a list of past events on our website.