This research project explores the ways in which conspiracy theories are formulated and disseminated, and how belief in such conspiracy theories influences citizens’ behaviour. The research employs both survey analysis and social media data analysis, and is designed to enhance our understanding of conspiracy theory beliefs in countries outside the Western, English-speaking contexts in which they have traditionally been researched.

The major focus of the research project in this period concerned the online communities which created and spread conspiracy theories about the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzō in July 2022. Over 250,000 tweets matching conspiracy-related topics were gathered in the two weeks directly following the assassination, and subsequently analysed using a combination of human coding (directly reading and classifying the posts) and computer-assisted network analysis. The results of this analysis were presented at several conferences, and should be published in a scientific journal in 2023.

In addition, two surveys were conducted in the Philippines during this period – before the presidential election in May 2022, and one year later in March 2023 – which included several test questions about conspiracy theory beliefs. The data from these surveys will help to guide the next stages of this research project.