Mapping The DNA Of Conspiracy Theories: Analyzing Key Nodes Across Digital Geographies

This project articulates a new methodology, Discursive Nodal Analysis (DNA) to explore and track the growth, spread, and interaction of conspiracy-oriented communities in digital spaces. By utilizing a combination of social network analysis (SNA), critical discourse analysis (CDA), and memetic rhetorical analysis (MRA), DNA empowers researchers to explore the unique rhetorical characteristics of online conspiracy theories that enable their evolution within digital environments while simultaneously tracking and analyzing their velocity and spread. Through an examination of discursive patterns, rhetorical strategies, and the mapping of communicative networks in digital communities, this methodology seeks to shed light on the dynamics of conspiracy communities in ways that might inform interventions to address their impact.