Spring 2027

Seeing Through Conspiracy Theories

Examines conspiracy theories in the visual and built environment, using case studies from Egyptian pyramids to modern art to contrast evidence-based accounts with hidden-nature narratives.

no offering record for this termCredits unavailable
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 No instructors listed

Summary

What you’ll be able to do

  • Research: Accurately research the history of images, objects, performances, and sites.

  • Critical Thinking: Identify the structure of a conspiracy theory and differentiate art historical research therefrom; Differentiate sources at a field-specific level (museum catalogues v. museum websites; blogs vs. academic journals; popular books vs. peer-reviewed academic monographs; etc.) and evaluate each source’s appropriate use in building evidence.

  • Original Argumentation: Build convincing and original interpretations of images, objects, performances, and sites.

  • Visual Analysis: Acquire skills of close looking and formal analysis.

  • Oral Communication: Execute the typical methods of presenting art historical research at a beginning level

  • Writing: Compose short art history essays. Give useful, concise feedback to peers relevant to art historical best practices. Incorporate feedback and reflect on how feedback alters a previous approach.

Source: UW Guide

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Prerequisites

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ARTHIST 102

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Professors

Spring 2027

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Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

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Student experience

the class

Fake news is not a new problem. In taking on this ongoing issue, we begin before living memory (to avoid the deadening effect of feedback loops within today's media world), with a focus on the visual and built environment. How do conspiracy theories work? Do they fall into patterns? How can we recognize them? If they are empowering, how should we think about that? Visual material plays a special role in the reinforcement of conspiracy theories. Case studies around the world, from the Egyptian pyramids to the birth of "modern" art in the twentieth century, center on ways in which an evidence-based account of the making of an artwork or architectural site has been replaced by a (usually more interesting) story about its true, hidden nature. This story usually purports to reveal the "conspiracy" of an empowered institution or group to keep the truth away from average people. Of course, the reality is often much simpler and the dynamics of power more complex.

difficulty & workload

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Topics

  • Mechanics and patterns of conspiracy theories
  • Visual and built environment
  • Case studies: Egyptian pyramids and modern art
  • Dynamics of power and institutional influence

Skills

  • Researching the history of images, objects, performances, and sites
  • Critical thinking and source evaluation in art history
  • Visual analysis and close looking
  • Oral communication and presentation of art historical research

Grades

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Sources & history

UW–Madison

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Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

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Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
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Model & dataset provenance 
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  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "cf281b896aa96856f5cdba73933c618249c4b21a88d614621b88b72aedc31c26",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}