Bungacast /520/ Conspiracy Culture & Paranoid Styles ft. Catherine Liu
10 snips
Nov 11, 2025 
Catherine Liu, a contributing editor and scholar on media and political theory, joins co-host George Hoare to dive into the intriguing realms of conspiracy culture and the paranoid style. They explore Richard Hofstadter’s seminal work, revealing how conspiratorial rhetoric continues to shape political discourse today. Liu discusses the rise of the alt-right, the challenges faced by journalism, and how a fragmented media landscape affects the public's perception of power. Their insights draw connections to current conspiracies, making for a thought-provoking conversation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Conspiracy Beyond Left–Right
- Catherine Liu frames the symposium as aiming to rethink conspiracy beyond left-right labels and to revisit Hofstadter's "The Paranoid Style."
- She situates the study of alt-right and internet cultures as central to understanding modern conspiratorial politics.
Alt‑Right Normalized In Power
- Liu argues the alt-right term feels dated because its worldview is now normalized in power structures.
- She highlights interdisciplinary study of manosphere, wellness, and occult internet spaces as prescient for understanding conspiratorial spread.
Decline Of The Public Sphere
- Liu traces distrust in journalism to media consolidation and professionalized neutrality that hollowed out public spheres.
- She connects this decline to the conditions Hofstadter wrote in after McCarthyism and JFK assassinations.
