Conspiracy Theories in American Culture - course unit details - BA English Literature and American Studies - full details (2025 entry)

Duration: 3 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: QT37 / Institution code: M20

Key features:
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Typical contextual A-level offer: ABC including specific subjects
Refugee/care-experienced offer: ACC including specific subjects
Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 35 points overall with 6,6,5 at HL including specific subjects

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Fees

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £26,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

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All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

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Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
Many students work part-time or complete a student internship

Course unit details:
Conspiracy Theories in American Culture

Course unit fact file
Unit code	AMER30382
Credit rating	20
Unit level	Level 3
Teaching period(s)	Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit?	No

Overview

The course deals with one central question: why have Americans been so interested in conspiracy theories? The course provides an overview of the tradition of conspiracism in American culture and politics, from the Declaration of Independence (after the 'all men are created equal' part, there's a long catalogue of suspicions about plotting by the British monarchy), to the Birther Movement (the accusation that Obama is hiding the the truth about his origins). It offers students the chance to explore particular historical episodes and cultural texts in more detail, including fears about the Illuminati, the Red Scares, the Money Power, the Kennedy assassination, ghetto rumours about drugs and AIDS, and 9/11. It looks at a range of source materials from the eighteenth century to the present, including political pamphlets, novels, films, and websites. It also explores each week a different theoretical approach to the topic within the sociology of knowledge.

Aims

To introduce students to the role that conspiracy theories have played in American history and culture;

To engage critically with a range of different cultural and historical source materials;

To develop an awareness of the different theoretical approaches to this topic in the sociology of knowledge;

To foster skills in critical and cultural analysis, and oral and written presentation skills at a level appropriate to final year degree work.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course unit, students should be able to:

Grasp the way that conspiracy has been imagined in American culture from the 18thC to the present;

Weigh up competing interpretations and arguments; and critically analyse a range of different source materials;

Research and construct a convincing argument using appropriate methods of scholarly presentation;

Carry out independent research; critically analyse different kinds of texts; summarise complex arguments; work in groups; contribute to a wiki; present ideas in oral and written communication.

Employability skills

Analytical skills: Students taking this unit will be able to analyse and evaluate arguments and texts. Above all, committed students will emerge from this course unit with an advanced capacity to think critically, i.e. knowledgeably, rigorously, confidently and independently.
Group/team working: Students taking this unit will be able to work courteously and constructively as part of a larger group.
Innovation/creativity: On this unit students are encouraged to respond imaginatively and independently to the questions and ideas raised by texts and other media.
Leadership: Students on this unit must take responsibility for their learning and are encouraged not only to participate in group discussions but to do so actively and even to lead those discussions.
Project management: Students taking this unit will be able to work towards deadlines and to manage their time effectively.
Oral communication: Students taking this unit will be able to show fluency, clarity and persuasiveness in spoken communication.
Research: Students on this unit will be required to digest, summarise and present large amounts of information. They are encouraged to enrich their responses and arguments with a wide range of further reading.
Written communication: Students on this unit will develop their ability to write in a way that is lucid, precise and compelling.

Assessment methods

Case study presentation (blog / podcast /slide show)

40%

Essay

60%

Feedback methods

oral feedback on group presentations and wiki contribution
written feedback on the analytical commentary mid-way through the course, and on the long essay at the end of the course
additional one-to-one feedback in office hours

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Seminars	33

Independent study hours
Independent study	167

Teaching staff

Staff member	Role
Peter Knight	Unit coordinator

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BA English Literature and American Studies