Conspiracy Theory – Ian Dunt & Dorian Lynskey
Written by Elisa Garbil – 25.07.2025
In Conspiracy Theory, Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey deliver far more than a cultural or political commentary; they offer a chilling and essential analysis of how conspiracy theories have evolved into a core driver of strategic international risk. For professionals working in international relations, global policy, cybersecurity, security intelligence, or political risk analysis, this book is not just relevant, it’s required reading.
Dunt and Lynskey expertly trace the historical roots of conspiracism, dissecting how mythologies of hidden power and secret control have persisted across centuries. But what sets this book apart is its acute focus on how those narratives are operationalised today — not as mere fringe beliefs, but as weapons of political influence, mass persuasion, and destabilisation.
This book speaks directly to the information environment that risk professionals must now navigate. Conspiracy theories are no longer confined to dark corners of the internet; they are influencing elections, policymaking, and geopolitical conflict. From anti-vaccine movements to “deep state” paranoia, from QAnon’s grip on segments of the American electorate to Kremlin disinformation campaigns targeting Western democracies, conspiracy narratives are increasingly being weaponised by state and non-state actors alike.
By the early 2020s, the fringe had colonised the mainstream. Conspiracism had become a psychological addiction, a political strategy, and a booming industry.
Conspiracy theory – Ian Dunt & Dorian Lynskey
The Risk Landscape: Conspiracies as Strategic Threats
What Dunt and Lynskey articulate so effectively is that conspiracy theories must now be viewed through the lens of strategic risk. Not simply as irrational belief systems, but as tools for power. Authoritarian regimes use them to silence dissent and justify surveillance. Political actors use them to consolidate support, discredit opponents, or deflect accountability. Online networks amplify them to sow chaos or confusion.
In other words, conspiracy theories are no longer just cultural or ideological phenomena. They are operational risks. They can incite violence, fuel extremism, destabilise governance, and erode institutional legitimacy, all of which pose measurable threats to national security, social cohesion, and international order.
This aligns with discussions we’ve had on The International Risk Podcast, where guests like Sander van der Linden have spoken about the psychological mechanisms behind misinformation and how these are exploited in digital environments. What Dunt and Lynskey add is a macro-level view, an understanding of how this psychological manipulation plays out across nations and institutions.
You cannot squash a conspiracy theory with facts if enough people find it politically and psychologically vital. Their need to believe and exploit it is just too strong.
Conspiracy theory – Ian Dunt & Dorian Lynskey
This quote highlights a key insight of the book: facts alone are not the antidote. In a risk context, this means that traditional methods of countering misinformation, such as fact-checking, rational rebuttals, or educational campaigns, may be insufficient on their own. Instead, we must adopt a more layered approach, integrating psychological, social, and geopolitical strategies into how we assess and mitigate the spread of disinformation.
An Evolving Threat Environment
Since 2020, the rise in conspiracy theory adherents has been both exponential and global. The COVID-19 pandemic acted as an accelerant. People isolated at home spent more time online, often without the tools to distinguish credible information from manipulated narratives. But the authors make it clear that this was not the beginning. The seeds had already been sown through decades of declining trust in institutions, increasing political polarisation, and the viral dynamics of social media.
Importantly, the authors dismantle a common myth: conspiracy belief is not confined to the uneducated or uninformed. Highly intelligent individuals, professionals, and even policy-makers can — and do — fall into conspiratorial thinking. As they write:
Conspiracy thinking is not a pathology. Nor is it dictated by intelligence or levels of education.
Conspiracy theory – Ian Dunt & Dorian Lynskey
This is an essential point for risk analysts. It means that conspiracy thinking can infiltrate the very institutions we rely on for stability and governance. It can appear in boardrooms, parliamentary committees, academic conferences, and diplomatic circles, often disguised as “alternative perspectives” or “unorthodox analysis.”
It also means that the solutions must be systemic. Media literacy, public education, transparent governance, and coordinated tech regulation are all part of the response. But they require political will, cross-sector collaboration, and a shared understanding of the scale of the threat, which is precisely what this book helps to cultivate.
Polarisation, Identity, and Epistemic Crisis
Another risk highlighted in the book — and one that resonates strongly with our current moment — is the collapse of shared reality. Political polarisation has become so extreme that many people no longer simply disagree on policies or values, they disagree on what is real. Dunt and Lynskey capture this well in a quote that stood out to me:
We are not having disagreements about differing interpretations of reality – we are having disagreements about who is in reality and who is in a simulation.
Conspiracy theory – Ian Dunt & Dorian Lynskey
This epistemic crisis is deeply risky. It weakens democratic discourse, erodes social cohesion, and renders evidence-based policymaking nearly impossible. It creates echo chambers in which false beliefs become unshakable, and in the most extreme cases, radicalises individuals to commit acts of violence or terrorism. Something we’ve seen with incel subcultures, militia movements, and political assassinations.
In our own interviews on extremism, misogyny, and online radicalisation, we’ve repeatedly found that conspiracy thinking is often the gateway to more entrenched and dangerous ideologies. Whether it’s the blackpill worldview among incels or the militarised fantasies of QAnon followers, the trajectory from conspiracy theory to violent extremism is real and increasingly common.
Practical Implications for Risk Professionals
What makes Conspiracy Theory so valuable for professionals in the risk and security space is that it frames conspiracism not just as a cultural issue, but as a governance issue, a policy challenge, and a strategic vulnerability.
One technique of conspiracy theorists is to smother the reader in data so that it becomes very hard for a non-expert to separate the facts from speculation.
Conspiracy theory – Ian Dunt & Dorian Lynskey
The authors call for vigilance not just from governments, but from businesses, NGOs, academic institutions, and international organisations. We all need to be more discerning:
- Who owns the media outlets we trust?
- What political biases do they carry?
- Are the narratives they amplify grounded in evidence, or driven by ideology?
- How do we verify information in an age of manipulated content, AI-generated media, and anonymous digital sources?
Their point is not to promote cynicism, but to promote strategic literacy. The kind that helps us recognise risk before it spirals into crisis.
Final Thoughts
Conspiracy Theory is an incisive and necessary book. It manages to be readable yet deeply analytical, engaging yet sobering. For anyone working in geopolitics, intelligence, corporate security, media, or public policy, it will sharpen your understanding of one of the most insidious and fast-evolving risks of our time.
Dunt and Lynskey remind us that conspiracy theories are not going away. They are constantly adapting to new technologies, social trends, and geopolitical pressures. But the better we understand them, their origins, their strategies, and their consequences, the better we can counter them.
I highly recommend this book not just as a study in culture or psychology, but as a risk management tool. A lens through which we can better navigate the uncertainties of our disinformation-rich, trust-deficient, and increasingly polarised world.
