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QAnon and Other Replacement Realities

How Religious Emotion Threatens Free Society but Can Also Contribute to a Progressive Future

George Lundskow and Sarah MacMillen

Q-Anon and Other Replacement Realities: How Religious Emotion Threatens Free Society but Can Also Contribute to a Progressive Future examines the historical and theological origins and the social-psychological effects of American conspiracy fantasies that Q-Anon and other right-wing beliefs foster. The authors argue that as progressive social change moves groups of people and the natural world from the margins to the mainstream, this inclusiveness “threat” mobilizes reactionary forces that embrace wild fantasies of Satanic sacrifice, Jewish global control, racial replacement, communism, cannibalism, pedophilia, orgies of rape and murder, and manipulations to steal elections and enslave the “normal” white population.

To counter such gratifying myths and replace violence with mutually reinforcing social interaction the authors challenge the rhetoric that abuses power. The book maps out an alternative to destructive, hateful, polarizing, and conspiratorial discourse, with new more life-giving rational, emotional, and spiritual orientations. The authors hope this will move American society towards a new collective national identity, based on inclusiveness and equality, around a social character defined by compassion, gratitude, reverence, and love.

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Lexington Books
Pages: 228 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼
978-1-66693-188-4 • Hardback • November 2023 • $100.00 • (£77.00)
978-1-66693-189-1 • eBook • November 2023 • $45.00 • (£35.00)
Subjects: Social Science / Sociology of Religion, Social Science / Sociology / General, Social Science / Conspiracy Theories, Social Science / American Studies, Social Science / Culture

George Lundskow is professor of sociology at Grand Valley State University.

Sarah Louise MacMillen is associate professor of sociology at Duquesne University.

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Social Progress and Reactionary Fiction

Chapter 2. Of Truth and Bullshit

Chapter 3. The Social Psychology of Conspiracies

Chapter 4. QAnon—The Perfect Conspiracy

Chapter 5. Threats to Democracy and Hope for the Future

References

About the Authors

Lundskow and MacMillen have have written a timely and provocative book about the dangers of QAnon and other extremist conspiracy theories circulating in contemporary American society. In recent decades, the US has undergone vast social and economic changes. It is becoming less white demographically, and opportunities are becoming more equal. Many middle-class white Americans, particularly males, view these changes as a loss of status and privilege for themselves. In their resulting anger, some of them turn to conspiracy theories like the great replacement to explain their plight. QAnon functions for them as a pseudo-religion to explain their grievances, but it offers no real plan to fix things other than nihilist violence to tear down the existing system. Supporters exhibit either right-wing authoritarian impulses or a social dominance orientation governed by hate and fear. This book is well researched and draws from recent social science scholarship. The authors advocate for combating extremism by promoting the true religious values of tolerance, inclusiveness, and love. They may face some politically correct criticism for using the terms conspiracy and cult with negative connotations. Still, based on the evidence, it is hard to reject their conclusions. Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty.


— Choice Reviews


"In Q-Anon and Other Replacement Realities,George Lundskow and Sarah Louise MacMillen make an important contribution to the study of conspiracy theories and offer new and novel hypotheses about why people believe conspiracies. The connection the authors make between conspiratorial beliefs and violence is one that should concern us all as we move inexorably toward elections that could very well erupt in violence as trust in our institutions is at an all-time low."


— Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational


“In an amazing, well-researched, well-documented, and lucid analysis, Lundskow and MacMillen have provided one of the best analyses of paranoid thought since Hofstadter. Today, cultural changes in values and identities challenge traditional, privileged, hierarchical identities of race, gender, gender orientation, etc. The authors show how certain character types, authoritarians, and social dominators feel anger, rage, and hostility, which leads them to embrace paranoid fantasies that 'explain' their discontents and victimization and justify violence against these seemingly threatening, 'evil' minorities. For those interested in the alt right and conspiracy theories, this book is a must-read."


— Lauren Langman, Loyola University of Chicago


QAnon and Other Replacement Realities

How Religious Emotion Threatens Free Society but Can Also Contribute to a Progressive Future

Cover Image
Hardback
eBook
Summary
Summary
  • Q-Anon and Other Replacement Realities: How Religious Emotion Threatens Free Society but Can Also Contribute to a Progressive Future examines the historical and theological origins and the social-psychological effects of American conspiracy fantasies that Q-Anon and other right-wing beliefs foster. The authors argue that as progressive social change moves groups of people and the natural world from the margins to the mainstream, this inclusiveness “threat” mobilizes reactionary forces that embrace wild fantasies of Satanic sacrifice, Jewish global control, racial replacement, communism, cannibalism, pedophilia, orgies of rape and murder, and manipulations to steal elections and enslave the “normal” white population.

    To counter such gratifying myths and replace violence with mutually reinforcing social interaction the authors challenge the rhetoric that abuses power. The book maps out an alternative to destructive, hateful, polarizing, and conspiratorial discourse, with new more life-giving rational, emotional, and spiritual orientations. The authors hope this will move American society towards a new collective national identity, based on inclusiveness and equality, around a social character defined by compassion, gratitude, reverence, and love.

Details
Details
  • Lexington Books
    Pages: 228 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼
    978-1-66693-188-4 • Hardback • November 2023 • $100.00 • (£77.00)
    978-1-66693-189-1 • eBook • November 2023 • $45.00 • (£35.00)
    Subjects: Social Science / Sociology of Religion, Social Science / Sociology / General, Social Science / Conspiracy Theories, Social Science / American Studies, Social Science / Culture
Author
Author
  • George Lundskow is professor of sociology at Grand Valley State University.

    Sarah Louise MacMillen is associate professor of sociology at Duquesne University.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
  • Contents

    Preface

    Acknowledgments

    Chapter 1. Social Progress and Reactionary Fiction

    Chapter 2. Of Truth and Bullshit

    Chapter 3. The Social Psychology of Conspiracies

    Chapter 4. QAnon—The Perfect Conspiracy

    Chapter 5. Threats to Democracy and Hope for the Future

    References

    About the Authors

Reviews
Reviews
  • Lundskow and MacMillen have have written a timely and provocative book about the dangers of QAnon and other extremist conspiracy theories circulating in contemporary American society. In recent decades, the US has undergone vast social and economic changes. It is becoming less white demographically, and opportunities are becoming more equal. Many middle-class white Americans, particularly males, view these changes as a loss of status and privilege for themselves. In their resulting anger, some of them turn to conspiracy theories like the great replacement to explain their plight. QAnon functions for them as a pseudo-religion to explain their grievances, but it offers no real plan to fix things other than nihilist violence to tear down the existing system. Supporters exhibit either right-wing authoritarian impulses or a social dominance orientation governed by hate and fear. This book is well researched and draws from recent social science scholarship. The authors advocate for combating extremism by promoting the true religious values of tolerance, inclusiveness, and love. They may face some politically correct criticism for using the terms conspiracy and cult with negative connotations. Still, based on the evidence, it is hard to reject their conclusions. Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty.


    — Choice Reviews


    "In Q-Anon and Other Replacement Realities,George Lundskow and Sarah Louise MacMillen make an important contribution to the study of conspiracy theories and offer new and novel hypotheses about why people believe conspiracies. The connection the authors make between conspiratorial beliefs and violence is one that should concern us all as we move inexorably toward elections that could very well erupt in violence as trust in our institutions is at an all-time low."


    — Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational


    “In an amazing, well-researched, well-documented, and lucid analysis, Lundskow and MacMillen have provided one of the best analyses of paranoid thought since Hofstadter. Today, cultural changes in values and identities challenge traditional, privileged, hierarchical identities of race, gender, gender orientation, etc. The authors show how certain character types, authoritarians, and social dominators feel anger, rage, and hostility, which leads them to embrace paranoid fantasies that 'explain' their discontents and victimization and justify violence against these seemingly threatening, 'evil' minorities. For those interested in the alt right and conspiracy theories, this book is a must-read."


    — Lauren Langman, Loyola University of Chicago


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