Are we a conspiracy nation?
According to journalists Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilsons new book, Conspiracy Nation, Australia is no more so than any other nation. However, as we have seen in recent years, conspiracies can grow at an alarming rate if left unchecked, spilling from the fringes of society into the public domain. The COVID pandemic saw conspiracy theories – both imported and homegrown – become a part of everyday conversations.
Conspiracy Nation aim is ‘exposing the dangerous world of Australian conspiracy theories’. The book’s chapters each discuss a different conspiracy theory that has taken hold in the country, from Port Arthur (Australia’s first on-line conspiracy theory) to the Great Replacement Theory, anti-vaccination ‘wellness’ influencers, the sovereign citizen movement, and QAnon. The authors explain the effect of these conspiracies on ordinary Australians, from deeply personal experiences to great tragedies that have unfolded. A well-researched book, it is also written in a relatable style, as Bogle and Cameron delve deeply into the root causes of conspiracies being sought out by individuals who have a sense of powerlessness, inequality, fear, and isolation: the book begins with the story of a relationship that is driven to breaking point as one partner becomes deeply immersed in an online conspiratorial world. It is quite frightening to think of someone you care about falling down a rabbit-hole. Bogle and Wilson argue that you don’t have to be mentally unwell to believe in conspiracy theories, which makes you wonder, who could be next? Are we all susceptible?
This book raises particular concern for me as an educator of young Australians. I teach in a large secondary co-educational school in Melbourne’s outer northern suburbs, and I write this piece through the lens of both an educator in the classroom and a school librarian. As an educator I have a responsibility to teach critical thinking and challenge young minds, and I am increasingly concerned about how exposed young people are to a world where facts are skewed and misinformation is rampant. I worry about my own students, their vulnerabilities and their daily exposure to ongoing violence alongside the world of AI, fake news, and algorithmic manipulation. Dangerous conspiracy theories are a threat to their world.
Conspiracy Nation piqued my interest when I first laid eyes on it, as at the time I was teaching a romance novel exploring Islamophobia and Australian racism to Year 9 students. In When Michael met Mina (Pan Australia, 2016), Randa Abdel-Fattah explores how teenage minds as navigate assimilation, asylum seekers, immigration, racism and conspiracy theories. The beginning of the novel takes place with the protagonists on opposing sides of a rally on asylum seekers, “Fucking bleeding-heart terrorist loving freedom-hating traitors” who supposedly threaten democracy as we know it. In class, I asked my students, has anyone ever attended a rally? A hand sheepishly went up and the student quietly said “an anti-vax rally, miss”.
Teaching in Victoria during the COVID lockdowns of 2020-2021, I gained first-hand experience with the spread of conspiratorial thinking among Australian children. On a zoom screen in 2020 with students, teachers were often asked “Did you get vaccinated?” Parents were often confused about the right actions to take in a time of misinformation with conspiracies abound. Students asked their teachers to get another perspective from a trusted adult, but depending on the beliefs in their home, our answers could potentially alienate children from their parents, or parents from the school. Very carefully, I encourage them to think critically and question the world around them.
Conspiracy Nation helps us to understand why young Australians might be particularly vulnerable to dangerous misinformation. Bogle and Wilson highlight the legend of Ned Kelly as underpinning antigovernment sentiment in Australia. I find students today are still fascinated by Ned Kelly: they request books containing historical facts for the library, which are frequently borrowed and read. On a school excursion to the State Library, they flocked to see his armoury, a highlight of their visit. They are attracted to the idea of Ned Kelly the antihero; often I am asked whether I think he was treated unfairly.
Bogle and Wilson observe that the beginnings of anti-government sentiment often start with a sense of personal injustice, which become associated with a political injustice. For example, a speeding ticket is many people’s first interaction with law enforcement. Licences and rights, promising a kind of freedom, are seen by many students as an entitlement of adulthood. They are particularly important to students approaching the age of 16, who will soon be able to get a learner’s licence. Yet they are less conscious that their freedom granted can just as easily be taken away.
Conspiracy Nation outlines how radicalized narratives have moved through contemporary society, demonstrating how conspiracy theories are shaped by and support radical ideologies. One of the theories highlighted in Chapter 4 is the ‘Great Replacement Theory’, which positions Western society as being under attack. Teaching tolerance is high on our radar and a core school value, but I worry that perceived threats to Christian populations could resonate with some in this Catholic school where I teach.
It is frightening to think that Brenton Tarrant, who perpetrated the Christchurch massacres, was once a student, sitting in a classroom in front of teachers. Conspiracy Nation outlines how Tarrant’s interests in international fascist movements and donations to international white supremacist figures evolved from time spent in extremist online forums, which fostered his Islamophobic views. The book thus underscores the importance of teaching students to think critically about the world around them, both on-line and in their daily lives.
Teaching Abdel-Fattah’s novel, I realised how new many of these dangerous ideas were to my students. When writing quotes from the novel on the board, one student asked, “what’s that miss?” – referring to the term “white supremacist”. I turned to the class to ask if anyone was familiar with the term. “No” was the response. However, the terms “neo-Nazi” and “the KKK” were familiar. Reflecting on Bogle and Cameron’s work, I believe talking with the students now about what these words mean will help them think critically and identify conspiracy theories when they come across them into the future.
“Miss, did you see the rallies on the weekend? It’s what we’ve been learning!”, one student said after the March for Australia rallies, referring to Abdel-Fattah’s work. I am glad we are teaching such a relevant novel that addresses the problem of conspiratorial thinking in contemporary Australian society. I also believe that more historical literacy could help to counter conspiracy theories in Australia, as so many of them are grounded in misrepresentations of the past. Students are generally interested in the world around them and they highlight things that are questionable. If we shelve more books in libraries that cause them to think critically then we are doing them a service. Concerning but highly relevant, Conspiracy Nation emphasises the shared responsibility that falls upon all of us to counter misinformation.
