As we race into an uncertain future, conspiracy theories appear to be everywhere. Why has this way of thinking become such a significant part of how we see the world?

In this series, documentary-maker Phil Tinline explores how conspiracy theories have long told us stories about power. And how fiction and movies - and journalism and history - have done the same. Over many years, baseless theories, works of creativity and evidence-based accounts of the real world have become tangled up with each other. Why have we let that happen - and how can we tell them apart?

To find out, Phil talks to historians, writers and analysts of internet culture to unpick how the narrative structure of baseless theories is strikingly different from real conspiracies. He explores how much of this comes down to the nature of the connections between the supposed conspirators, to the function the story plays in people's lives and to the role of 'secret knowledge'. And he asks how fictional representations of power can work to bring out the difference between real and imaginary conspiracies, rather than blurring the lines between them.

Series contributors include: Michael Butter, Bryan Cheyette, Paul Cobley, Karen Douglas, Sir Richard Evans, Beverly Gage, Pamela Hutchinson, Dennis Kelly, Rick Perlstein, Whitney Phillips, Vwani Roychowdhury, Tim Tangherlini

Presenter/ Producer: Phil Tinline Show less