Category Archives: Conspiracy theory

History as conspiracy theory: The case of David Icke and the ‘Protocols’

Posted on April 20, 2024 by historyatkingston

Just prior to the Covid-19 medical emergency and lockdown, I embarked on the delivery of a module on the role of conspiracy theory in history, and recently had the opportunity to run the module again. The course sought to address … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Conspiracy theory, European History, Extremism, French History, German History, Historiography, Media history, Middle East, Public History, Research, Teaching, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Racist Revisionism: Arnold Leese and early Holocaust Denial in Britain

Posted on April 14, 2024 by historyatkingston

Some brief exploration of the extent to which crude and racist historical revisionism has moved from the margins into the cultural mainstream of society can be a truly shocking experience. It is no exaggeration to say that conspiracy theory and … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-fascism, British history, British politics, Conspiracy theory, European History, Extremism, Fascism, German History, History of war, London history, Media history, Public History, Research, Surrey, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Exploring the Nazi Career of Otto Skorzeny, the ‘Devil’s Disciple’

Posted on March 31, 2024 by historyatkingston

Although studies of Otto Skorzeny, said to be Hitler’s ‘favourite commando’, tended to be limited and were often of highly questionable quality for much of the post-war period, this situation appears to have changed in more recent years. Some qualitatively … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-fascism, Conspiracy theory, European History, Extremism, Fascism, German History, Historiography, History of war, Nazism, Public History, Research, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A model for Trump? The authoritarian nature of Viktor Orban’s ‘illiberal democracy’

Posted on March 10, 2024 by historyatkingston

If anybody still entertains any doubts about the extremely worrying authoritarian ambitions of former U.S. president Donald Trump, then it is important to consider what he said on the evening of Friday, 8th March, 2024. Holding a meeting and concert … Continue reading →

Posted in American history, British history, Conspiracy theory, European History, Extremism, Fascism, Media history, Public History, Research, Russian History, Teaching, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dangerous Delusions: Trump and the politics of populism

Posted on March 5, 2024 by historyatkingston

Historians will have much to write about when they look back on current political affairs in America, and analysis of the rightwing brand of ‘populist’ politics will be a major aspect of this. When it comes to his desperate desire … Continue reading →

Posted in American history, British history, Conspiracy theory, European History, Extremism, Historiography, Media history, Public History, Research, Teaching, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trump and the ‘Deep State’: The Politics of Paranoia

Posted on February 24, 2024 by historyatkingston

Speaking at the 2023 CPAC (Conservative Political Action) conference, Donald Trump referred to the ‘epic battle’ he said he has always been engaged in against the ‘special interests’ who are out to destroy America. It was vintage Trump. The 2024 … Continue reading →

Posted in American history, Conspiracy theory, Conspiracy theory, Extremism, Media history, Public History, Research, Secret State, Teaching, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Notorious in Northampton: The anti-Semitic career of Walter Crick

Posted on January 12, 2024 by historyatkingston

When historians dig deeply, many towns and cities often have at least some notorious skeletons in their historical cupboards, individuals who represent the darker side of the past, usually people who current-day citizens would rather forget. In March, 1925, a … Continue reading →

Posted in British Empire, British history, British politics, Conspiracy theory, European History, Extremism, Fascism, German History, Local History, London history, Nazism, Public History, Research, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nesta Webster and her ideas: a case study in conspiracy theory

Posted on December 17, 2023 by historyatkingston

With the seeming surge in conspiracy theories during the recent coronavirus crisis, it is important to be aware of the dangerous history of such views, and understand the claims of some of the ‘classic’ advocates of these paranoid and distorted … Continue reading →

Posted in British Empire, British history, Conspiracy theory, European History, Extremism, Fascism, French History, Gender History, German History, Historiography, Media history, Public History, Research, Russian History, Uncategorized, Women's history, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Weaponising the Past: The British extreme right’s concept of history

Posted on November 23, 2023 by historyatkingston

From Alfred the Great to Wellington, via Nelson to Churchill, and from Francis Drake to Scott of the Antarctic, the extreme right in Britain have regularly sought to appropriate individuals who they claim were the ‘greatest’ Britons of the past. … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-fascism, British history, British politics, Conspiracy theory, Events, Extremism, Fascism, Historiography, History skills, Local History, Media history, Nazism, Public History, Research, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment