Acknowledgements

First and foremost our gratitude goes to the many authors whose work is included in Conspiracy Theory Discourses: a volume with 20 chapters is a gigantic feat for all parties involved, and all authors have provided us with what we believe is top work on conspiracy theories and have always worked hard, especially in accepting our invitation to revise chapters (more than once!).

To Isja Conen at John Benjamins also goes our special thanks: Isja has believed in our project from day one and has assisted us and all the authors relentlessly. We are very grateful to the head editors of the DAPSAC series, who have accepted our book proposal, and particularly Jo Angouri, who has vetted the final manuscript. Together with the two anonymous reviewers who read the first draft of the manuscript to whom we are vastly grateful, Jo gave us immensely useful advice and helped us improve and fine-tune the volume.

When Massimiliano started thinking about the concept for this book, he also benefited from the (voluntary) encouragement of colleagues and friends who supported his initial idea and gave him very useful advice. First of all, his gratitude goes to Angela and Virginia, the co-editors of Conspiracy Theory Discourses: they accepted his invitation to get involved with this volume immediately and wholeheartedly, and their commitment, hard work and passion have made the challenge of editing this volume a real professional and personal pleasure.This book could not have been written without the (involuntary) encouragement of so many people, some of them friends, some acquaintances, some totally unknown, who, during the early months of the pandemic in 2020, were so passionate (and often verbally violent) in their supporting conspiracy theories. Weeks of observations on Facebook and Twitter gave Massimiliano the possibility of reading many extravagant explanations of the origins and spread of COVID-19 and talking to (and occasionally arguing with) their supporters, some of whom were, surprisingly enough for him, people with a very high education background. A serious research on the phenomenon of conspiracy theories would not have been possible without the advice and support of Connie Falduzzi, who has recently been awarded a PhD on (not surprisingly!) conspiracy theories at the University of Catania in Italy. Massimiliano’s long conversations with her have constantly provided him with food for thought, and she gave him the best advice a researcher could ever hope to receive. Last, or actually first, Massimiliano would like to thank Jole and Grace for providing him with their unwavering love, affection and support.

Virginia would like to thank her co-editors Massimiliano and Angela, without whom this whole project would have never been realised. Their professionality, support, patience and encouragement through all the stages of the process guided her through her first experience as a book editor, and made it truly enriching and exciting. She is grateful and honoured to have been involved in the project by Massimiliano, whom she wishes to thank for the strength and timeliness of his idea in conceiving of this book, and for his invaluable and careful guidance. She wants to thank Angela for her critical insights, openness, clarity and vision. In conclusion, she wishes to thank Andrea for his infinitely precious support and affection.

When Angela accepted the invitation to work with Massimiliano and Virginia on this monumental task she had not foreseen the richness of this experience. Not only learning about conspiracy theories but also working in a team and in collaboration with so many great scholars has been something she will cherish forever. For this, she is immensely grateful to Massimiliano for involving her in the project and being a patient and tireless co-editor, always ready to look after a more junior colleague. Angela is also ever so grateful to Virginia, whose acuteness and precision inspire her. Lastly, Angela wants to thank Andressa, whose support and care for Angela are inestimable.