Dr. Carmen Celestini
Definite Term Lecturer, Definite Term Lecturer University of Waterloo, Former Post Doc Queen's University, Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism, and The Disinformation Project Simon Fraser University
Christian nationalism, conspiracy theories, extremism, dis/mis/mal information, hate, North American politics, social media, white nationalism, Donald Trump, Misogyny, Manosphere,
Media
CBC National News - Convoy Protests
CNN - Freedom Convoy
How Does Social Media Fuel Protest?
The Agenda with Steve Paikin - TVO, February 18, 2022Television
URL: https://www.tvo.org/video/how-does-social-media-fuel-protest
The divisions and distrust the Ottawa protests exposed
CBC National NewsTelevision
The New Reality
Global Television, February 27, 2021Television
URL: https://globalnews.ca/tag/the-new-reality/
A segment about Propaganda, Conspiracy, and Lies, and how that can tear family units apart.
The Alan Carter Radio Program, March 10, 2022Radio/Podcast
URL: https://omny.fm/shows/alan-carter/freedom-convoy-forums-find-new-focus-disinformatio
CHED Mid-Morning with Shaye GanamRadio/Podcast
URL: https://omny.fm/shows/ched-mid-morning/freedom-convoy-forum-find-new-focus-disinformation
Durham Radio News, August 19, 2021Radio/Podcast
Trucker protests: What started in Ottawa could roll round the world
National Post, February 10, 2022Print
URL: https://nationalpost.com/news/trucker-protests-what-started-in-ottawa-could-roll-round-the-world
Maple Leaf flies at protests, the flag is a collective symbol with individual meaning
Canadian Press, February 17, 2022Print
After Trucker Protest, Canada Grapples With a Question: Was It a Blip, or Something Bigger?
New York Times, February 21, 2022Print
URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/21/world/americas/canada-protest.html
Big tech’s response to Russia likely to set precedent, experts say
Globe and Mail, March 2, 2022Print
Elon Musk’s free speech plans for Twitter to face challenges from governments, experts say
Hate crimes rose “sharply” in 2020 despite police-reported crime drop
Global News, July 28, 2021Print
URL: https://globalnews.ca/news/8063163/hate-crimes-rise-canada-2020/
From COVID conspiracies to rigged voting machines, misinformation plagues federal election
Designating Proud Boys as terrorist organization could deter recruits, experts say
The Hill TimesPrint
An article written by Samantha Wright Allen and Beatrice Paez regarding the potential of Canada designating the Proud Boys as a hate organization.
Dominion Voting Systems — the Toronto-founded company which filed a defamation lawsuit against Giuliani — has stepped up security for its offices after receiving threats
Toronto StarPrint
An article written by Jacob Lorinc about the impact of conspiracy theories in the court cases launched by Dominion Voting Systems regarding the 2020 American Elections.
Why do Trinity worshippers take such risks to go to church in person?
The Record - Waterloo, January 29, 2021Print
An article written by Luisa D'Amato about a church in the Waterloo region that is resisting the lock down measures, and continuing to hold in-person services.
Know someone who believes unfounded COVID-19 theories? Here's how to talk to them about it
Cambridge Times, February 21, 2021Print
An article written by Lauren Scott, on how to engage in dialogue with those who believe in conspiracy theories.
Symbolism of Canadian flag viewed differently among Calgarians in wake of protests
CTV News Calgary, February 18, 2022Online
The ‘Freedom Convoy’ is ending, but issues ‘not going away’
Al Jazeera, February 19, 2022Online
URL: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/19/canada-freedom-convoy-ending-but-issue-not-going-away
Ottawa protests: conspiracy theories and accusations of betrayal as police end blockade
The Guardian, February 20, 2022Online
URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/20/ottawa-protests-capital-police-clear-blockade
‘Freedom convoy’ forums find new focus: disinformation about Russia-Ukraine war
Global News, March 10, 2022Online
URL: https://globalnews.ca/news/8659667/ukraine-russia-convoy-misinformation-conspiracy/
Where Did Convoy Support Come From? Here Are the Maps
Tyee, March 15, 2022Online
URL: https://thetyee.ca/News/2022/03/15/Convoy-Support-Maps/
Elon Musk wants Twitter to be ‘the platform for free speech.’ What about misinformation?
No Hoax: Fighting COVID-19 has meant tackling conspiracy theories, even within families
Global Television, February 27, 2021Online
URL: https://globalnews.ca/news/7655629/covid-19-misinformation-harming-the-fight-pandemic/
A companion piece to the documentary segment on The New Reality series. Stewart Bell writes about the harm that misinformation and conspiracy can cause to families. Print and video interview.
Don't Ignore the Role of "Christian Values" in Conservative Conspiracy
Media Hit Hard on Trump's White Supremacist Appointee, but Which Media?
Running Against the Devil: Trump's Conspiracy-laden Fight Against Powers of Darkness
Wikileak's October Surprise: With "Spirit Dinners", Conspiracy Goes Maintstream
How Google Autocomplete Algorithms about Conspiracy Theorists Mislead the Public
by Al-Rawi, A., Celestini, C., Stewart, N., & Worku, N.
Published by Media and Culture Journal
March 12, 2022
Biography
Dr. Carmen Celestini is adefinite term lecturer at the University of Waterloo, where she teaches evil, conspiracy theories, disinformation, populism, and religion and politics, gender and politics, and cults, She recently held a Post-Doctoral Fellow with Queen's University, School of Religion researching extremism, conspiracy, and religion in Canada. Previously she was a Post Doctoral Fellow with The Disinformation Project at the School of Communications at Simon Fraser University. At SFU she worked on the understanding hate groups narratives and conspiracy theories in traditional and alternative social media project. This project empirically examined Canadian right-wing extremism (RWE) narratives, conspiracies, and discourses on traditional and alternative social media. She is also a former Post Doctoral Fellow with the Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism where she researched and developed policy for anti-hate, anti-extremism with the Canadian Armed Forces. Carmen was also a research consultant on Dr. Megan Boler's (University of Toronto) and Dr. Barbara Perry's "Promoting Social Cohesion and Resilience to Far-Right Disinformation through Adult Disinformation Literacy: A Systematic Review and Pilot Assessment of Gaps and Needs." This is an amazing preliminary project to assess where we need to develop adult literacy on disinformation. Dr. Celestini primarily researches extremism; specifically on those who believe in Christian Apocalyptic thought, conspiracy theories, and how these beliefs affect the American and Canadian political systems. She also researches violence, extremism, conspiracy, and religion.
In Dr. Celestini's doctoral work, her focus has been on the John Birch Society of the 1950s and 1960s and how their form of improvisational conspiracism is linked to contemporary right-wing mobilization. She has an interest in religion and pop culture, specifically within subversive or marginalized religious movements.
Primarily her research is on conspiracy theories, politics, Christian nationalism, extremis, hate, and social media mobilizations.
Past Talks
The Great Replacement and its Impact on Society
Religions for Peace USA, August 18, 2022
Angry Religion: Rise of American Theocracy
Angry Religion
Montclair State University, April 28, 2022