Strategic conspiracy narratives : a semiotic approach / Mari-Liis Madisson and Andreas Ventsel.

Part I. Theoretical framework -- Semiotic conflicts in strategic communication: conceptualising the conflict of meanings, on the specificity of the informational influencing on social media, information conflicts and strategic narratives -- A semiotic approach to conspiracy theories: studying conspiracy theories spreading on the Internet, the functions of identity creation in conspiracy theories, the semiotic approach to conspiracy narratives -- Part II. Semiotic analysis of strategic Soros conspiracy narratives -- Strategic Soros conspiracy narratives in politics, marketing and alternative knowledge: strategic construction of conflict in conspiracy narrative, George Soros -- the Grand Old Scapegoat of contemporary conspiracy narratives, the strategic devices of the Soros conspiracy narratives -- The main meaning-making mechanisms of strategic conspiracy narratives, conspiracy theories as a trigger of affective communication, transmedial strategic conspiracy narratives

"Strategic Conspiracy Narratives proposes an innovative semiotic perspective for analysing how contemporary conspiracy theories are used for shaping interpretation paths and identities of a targeted audience. Conspiracy theories play a significant role in the viral spread of misinformation that has an impact on the formation of public opinion about certain topics. They allow connecting different events that have taken place in various times and places, and involve several actors that seem incompatible for bystanders. This monograph focuses on strategic-function conspiracy narratives in the context of (social) media and information conflict. It explicates the strategic devices in how conspiracy theories can be used to evoke a hermeneutics of suspicion - a permanent skepticism and questioning of so-called mainstream media channels and dominant public authorities, delegitimisation of political opponents, and the ongoing search for hidden clues and coverups. The success of strategic dissemination of conspiracy narratives depends on the cultural context, specifics of the targeted audience and the semiotic construction of the message. This book proposes an innovative semiotic perspective for analyzing contemporary strategic communication. The authors develop a theoretical framework that is based on semiotics of culture, the notions of strategic narrative and transmedia storytelling. This book is targeted to specialists and graduate students working on social theory, semiotics, journalism, strategic communication, social media, and contemporary social problems in general"-- Provided by publisher.

OCLC-licensed vendor bibliographic record.