"Conspiracy theories - and how they are made credible linguistically" | Workshop day with pupils and teachers from the city and district of Kassel

In the morning, Professor Dr. David Römer's department and the DFG project "Language in Conspiracy Theories" at the University of Kassel held a workshop with around 40 students on the topic of "Conspiracy theories - and how they are made credible linguistically". The workshop began with a joint discussion of the basics of the phenomenon before various conspiracy theories were examined in four smaller groups using different linguistic methods: In addition to conspiracy theory-specific use of metaphors (VT on climate change) and testing quantitative analysis tools (VT on gender and diversity), the students looked at the media conditions under which conspiracy theories appear in digital (counter-)public spheres (VT on corona) as well as conspiracy theory and anti-Semitic attitudes in art and culture (case study Xavier Naidoo).

In the afternoon, a lecture on "Extremism, language and conspiracy theories" and another workshop at the Goethe-Gymnasium Kassel provided further training for school management members, teachers and socio-educational specialists. Under the title "Language use and language reflection using the example of conspiracy theories", the focus was not only on the research concerns of the project but also on the reflection of the school workshop and possible didactic perspectives.
Other participants in the day of action include the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Kassel Copilots Association.

You can find the flyer for the event here.