Matrix on Point: Myths and Misinformation

Misinformation and conspiracy theories have become a central feature of modern life, but they have a long history that have served to justify surveillance and prosecution of marginalized groups. In this Matrix on Point panel, recorded on March 15, 2023, a group of scholars who study these histories discussed how misinformation circulates, and the effects of such myths and stories on society.

The panel featured Timothy R. Tangherlini, Professor in the Scandinavian Department and Director of the Graduate Program in Folklore at UC Berkeley; Robert Braun, Assistant Professor of Sociology at UC Berkeley; and Poulomi Saha, Associate Professor of English at UC Berkeley and affiliated faculty in the Programs for Critical Theory and for Gender and Women’s Studies, the Center for Race and Gender, the Institute for South Asia Studies, the LGBTQ Citizenship Cluster, and the Department of Department of South and South East Asian Studies. The panel was moderated by Elena Conis, Professor in the UC Berkeley School of Journalism.

Presented by the University of California, Berkeley's Social Science Matrix, Matrix On Point is a discussion series promoting focused, cross-disciplinary conversations on today’s most pressing issues. This panel was co-sponsored by UC Berkeley's Center for Race and Gender (CRG), the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion, and the Othering and Belonging Institute. 

A transcript of this talk is available at https://matrix.berkeley.edu/research-article/matrix-on-point-myths-and-misinformation/.