The power and pleasure – and occasional backlash – of celebrity conspiracy theories

By Naomi Smith, Lecturer in Sociology, University of the Sunshine Coast
Clare Southerton, Lecturer, Digital Technology & Pedagogy, La Trobe University

With Taylor Swift pulling in over half-a-million audience members on her Australian tour, we’ve been thinking a lot about fans. In this series, our academics dive into fan cultures: how they developed, how they operate, and how they shape the world today.

For years, people have claimed Elvis Presley is alive and well. Theories that his death was faked to escape the pressures of fame…

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