How do ordinary women become extremists?
Leafing through photos from the January 6 insurrection, extremist researcher Noelle Cook was struck by how many women looked like her: middle-aged white women in puffy coats. Women were not on the fringes of the extreme right, she realized. They were radicalizing each other, and the pandemic was changing them. So who were the women of J6? And why did some of them believe in shape-shifting reptilians and the health benefits of colloidal silver?
This is the world scholars call conspirituality, in which New Age religion, online wellness culture, and extremism blend and become laced with antisemitic and racist theories. With acute attention to the emotional lives of women and research on conspiracism, Cook introduces us to Tammy, who believed storming the Capitol would help take down a global cabal of pedophiles. We also meet Yvonne, convinced she is a starseed destined to lead others into the fifth dimension. We visit a trade show where vendors hawk everything from quantum healing devices to government cover-ups, and trace the movements roots to a nineteenth-century mystical philosophy.
With arresting detail, The Conspiracists draws us into the lives of conspiratorial women to explore how and why women are becoming radicalized. Women are crafting entire worlds, Cook argues, and we ignore these worlds at our own peril. As misinformation spreads and extremism intensifies, The Conspiracists does not seek to excuse womens conspiracism but rather to understand it. Otherwise, we have no hope of countering its force.
Noelle Cook is an ethnographer and researcher specializing in the online and offline participation of women in conspiratorial and right-wing movements. As an associate producer of The Conspiracists, a feature documentary by Page75 Productions, Cook examines how identity, belief, and belonging shape extremist communities. Her work bridges academia and media to explore the forces driving radicalization.
Chapter 1 | Capitol Conspiracies Chapter 2 | Trauma Chapter 3 | Something to Believe In Chapter 4 | Pandemic Chapter 5 | Mama Bears Chapter 6 | Starseed Awakening Chapter 7 | Culture Wars Chapter 8 | A Method of Hope Chapter 9 | Soul Contract Acknowledgments Notes
"In this empathetic debut study, ethnographer Cook explores the rise of "conspirituality," a mix of new age spirituality and far-right, anti-government conspiracy, among middle-aged white American women. She does so through in-depth portraits of two women who stormed the Capitol on January 6. . . Most affecting of all is the relationship forged between Cook and her subjects, an intimacy that highlights the extent of the womens isolation. It adds up to a moving call for compassion for those on Americas fringes." --Publishers Weekly --"In this empathetic debut study, ethnographer Cook explores the rise of "conspirituality," a mix of new age spirituality and far-right, anti-government conspiracy, among middle-aged white American women. She does so through in-depth portraits of two women who stormed the Capitol on January 6. . . Most affecting of all is the relationship forged between Cook and her subjects, an intimacy that highlights the extent of the womens isolation. It adds up to a moving call for compassion for those on Americas fringes." --Publishers Weekly
"For anyone who has wondered how so many women went down the QAnon rabbit hole, Cooks deep dive into two womens stories is a must-read. A compelling, eye-opening account of the vulnerabilities and vitriol that have dragged so many women into unimaginable beliefs." --Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, author of Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism and professor and founding director of Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University
"Insightful, nuanced, and thoughtful, The Conspiracists offers a refreshing take on the complex and often misunderstood world of conspirituality. It expertly blends empathy and honesty with captivating storytelling." --Eviane Leidig, author of The Women of the Far Right
"As conspiracy theory belief becomes more mainstream and acceptable, it becomes that much more important to understand what it offers believers. Through empathy and curiosity, The Conspiracists reveals how two women sought community, personal success, meaning, and a higher purpose to their many traumas in the delusions of QAnon and the false promises of gurus--leading to them going to prison for storming the Capitol. This is a deeply reported and highly compelling examination of a problem we are only just starting to grasp." --Mike Rothschild, journalist, conspiracy theory expert, and author of The Storm Is Upon Us and Jewish Space Lasers
"A richly detailed, lucid, and compassionate account of the world of conspiracism. Through the personal journeys of two women, The Conspiracists casts an essential light on the appeal and endurance of conspiracy theories in a time of polarization and political extremism." --Cecile Simmons, author of CTRL, HATE, DELETE
"The Conspiracists shows that when belonging and identity are on the line, facts are negotiable and the unbelievable feels like home. Drawing on years of inside access, Noelle Cook weaves a research-rich narrative about the overlooked force driving modern American conspiracism: women who channel their hurt into politics-shaping crusades." --Travis View, cohost of the QAA podcast
"The Conspiracists is a thought-provoking and timely look into the complexities of the emotional lives of women who participated in the Capitol insurrection. Through deep analysis of real-life cases, Cook explores the human side of misinformation, the trauma behind those stories, and what drew some people away from their conspiracy theories. This powerful study illuminates the common danger of conspiracy theories." --Dr. Christine Sarteschi, LCSW, professor of social work and criminology
