Startseite
Podcasts
Politics Weekly America Podcast
Did the assassination of JFK kickstart the conspiracy theory movement?

Did the assassination of JFK kickstart the conspiracy theory movement?

Politics Weekly America vor 2 Jahren

This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Prof Kathryn Olmsted, author of Real Enemies: Conspiracy Theories and American Democracy, World War I to 9/11, about the lasting influence the assassination of JFK had on the American public’s trust in the governmen

0:00

25:33

This week marked 60 years since President John F Kennedy was shot
dead as he travelled in the back of a car through the streets of
Dallas, Texas. From the moment the news broke, people had their
theories about what happened. So why did the assassination of JFK
spawn dozens of conspiracy theories that have persisted for
decades? Is there a reason why Americans are quick to believe their
government is covering something up? And despite multiple examples
of when conspiracies turn dangerous, are politicians today,
including Kennedy’s own nephew, using conspiracy theories for
political gain? This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Prof
Kathryn Olmsted, author of Real Enemies: Conspiracy Theories and
American Democracy, World War I to 9/11