Conspiracy Theories and COVID‑19: The Mechanisms Behind a Rapidly Growing Societal Challenge

Related topic:

Ideologies and Conspiracy Narratives

Description:

This report explores how the COVID‑19 pandemic created fertile ground for a rapid spread of conspiracy theories, describing the psychological, communicative, and social mechanisms that make such narratives compelling and persistent. It shows how misinformation and disinformation about the origin, spread, and public health responses to the virus contributed to distrust in experts and authorities, polarised public opinion, and intersected with political and ideological grievance movements. The analysis highlights the threat that widespread conspiratorial thinking poses to democratic processes and social cohesion, as well as its potential to feed radicalisation dynamics and foreign influence campaigns.

Link:

Read the document

Language:

English

Date: 

27.02.2026

Proposed by:

PPHS

Source:

Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, 2021