Paranoia for Fun and Profit in Recent American Culture:
    documents & links

bulletChip Berlet essays on the Conspiracist Subculture
bulletClinton, Conspiracism, and Civil Society
bulletPost 9/11 Conspiracism
bulletArticles on particular topics -- pick 2 or 3 topics that interest you
bulletMedical "cover-ups" and "hoaxes"
bulletAutism and  the anti-immunization movement
bulletHIV and AIDs
bulletThe fluoridation controversy continues
bulletThe Clinton Body Count
bulletNew World Order
bulletNWO 101
bulletThe CIA-Contra-Crack Conspiracy (Theory?) 
bullet "Dark Alliance" -- the original series from the San Jose Mercury News
bulletColumbia Journalism Review on  the "Dark Alliance" controversy
bulletLA Weekly article on the death of reporter Gary Webb 
bulletThe Satanism Scare
bulletDebbie Nathan, "The Ritual Sex Abuse Hoax"
bulletImaginary Crimes web site:  "Michelle Remembers: Fiction, not Fact"; "The 'Ritual Abuse' Panic"
bulletFiona Steel, "The West Memphis Three: Did Satanists Murder 3 Boys?"
bulletObituary of Anton LaVey, founder of the "Church of Satan."
bullet"A DEVIL OF A TIME: How Is the Church of  Satan Getting Along? Not So Hot." (from the Washington Post, 8/30/98)
bulletThe mainstreaming of Biblical prophecy and other former fringe beliefs
bulletResources on the Rapture and J.N. Darby's system 
bulletHalloween fears
bulletJack Chick, "The Trick" (comic book pamphlet on H'ween as Satanist conspiracy)
bulletSnopes.com: "Halloween Poisonings"; "Pins and Needles"
bulletTwo helpful articles suggested by a student in the course
bullet Make believe: The strange world of conspiracy theorists (review of Barkun, Culture of Conspiracy)
bulletConspiracy theories and paranoia: Notes from a mind-control conference  (from the Skeptical Inquirer) 
bullet More for those who are interested:
bullet"Prison Planet," web site of all-purpose conspiracist Alex Jones
bulletNational Center for Reason and Justice
bulletNewsHour with Jim Lehrer online archive on the Oklahoma City bombing 
bulletNathaniel Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown," 19th-c. short story with much insight into present controversies 
bulletBritish report debunking satanic ritual abuse prosecutions