I. Writings by Michel J. Gagné

 

1. On Conspiracy Theories

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a. “From Camelot to Conspiracy: Memory, Myth, and the Death of JFK,” Skeptic magazine, Winter 2017/2018.

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This essay, which was first presented to the 2017 Concordia-Vanier Liberal Arts Colloquium in Montreal on March 31, 2017, was published in Skeptic magazine 22.4 (December 2017). It is based on the concluding chapter of a manuscript titled: Autopsy of a Modern Myth: Thinking Critically about the Kennedy Assassination.

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b. Excerpts from Thinking Critically About the Kennedy Assassination (Routledge,2022).

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This is the preface and introductory historical chapter of my book on JFK conspiracy theories.  The version posted here is from an earlier draft, when the book's working title was "Autopsy of a Modern Myth".  The final manuscript is to be published in the spring of 2022.

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Preface and Table of Contents

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Chapter 2: “Three Dead in Dallas: the “Official Story”

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c. “How I lost my Faith... in Oliver Stone” (published as How Oliver Stone Turned me Into a Conspiracy Theorist),The National Post, 2013.

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This Op-Ed article was published on the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination in one of Canada’s major national newspapers. (Full article)

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d. "How New Orleans Became a Hive of JFK Conspiracism," Quillette, 22 November 2022. (Excerpt of chapter 4 of Thinking Critically About the Kennedy Assassination).

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e. "Why are conspiracy theories so popular? Sorting fact from fiction in conspiracy theories," Troy Media, 20 November 2023.

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f. "Why Conspiracy Theories Are More Popular Than Facts," Epoch Times, Aug 7, 2024)

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g. "REALITY CHECK: Conspiracies: When are they likely true—or false?" Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, November 20, 2023.  (www.aristotlefoundation.org) 

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h. "The High Cabal and the Lynch Mob: Exploring Conspiracism Through René Girard’s Scapegoating Theory," International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation (IJCAM), Volume 8,2025, 66-80.  Issue DOI: https://doi.org/10.54208/0008

 

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2. On Northern Ireland

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a. The Harp, the Hammer and the Plough : the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Movement and the World Beyond, 1963-1969, Concordia University, 2005. (140 pages).

 

This is my Master’s Thesis in History.

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b. "Deconstructing the Sectarian Epic: The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Movement and the World Beyond Irish Shores, 1963-1969", History Studies: The University of Limerick History Society Journal, Volume 8, 2007.

 

This is an article summarizing my 2005 Master’s Thesis.

 

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c. "The Lark of Long Kesh: Bobby Sands and the Irish Republican Movement", (published as “Sands, Bobby (1954-1981)”), in Jeffrey Ian Ross, ed.: Religion and Violence: An Encyclopedia of Faith and Conflict from Antiquity to the Present (2011).

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This is a short biography of Irish Republican hunger striker Bobby Sands, published in a three-volume collection of articles on themes connected to violence and religion. Jeffrey Ross is a professor at the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Baltimore in Maryland.

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3. Book reviews

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a. "Who Watches the Watchers’ Watchers?” A review of Conspiracy Theories & The People Who Believe Them, edited by Joseph E Uscinski. Skeptic magazine 25.2 (June 2020).

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b. "Statistical Paranoia," A review of Creating Conspiracy Beliefs: How Our Thoughts Are Shaped, by Dolores Albarracín, Julia Albarracín, Man-pui Sally Chan, and Kathleen Hall Jamieson (Cambridge University Press, 2022).   Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Volume 74 Number 4, December 2022, p.250-252.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.56315/PSCF12-22Complete

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c. "Who Would Jesus Fear?”  A review of Who To Trust? Christian Belief in Conspiracy Theories by Nigel Chapman et al. (ISCAST, 2022). Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Volume 75, Number 2, September 2023, p.128-130.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.56315/PSCF9-23Chapman

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d. "Goldberg’s Pickaxe: or, how Professor Thompson failed Logic 101," A review of Last Second in Dallas by Josiah Thompson. (University Press of Kansas, 2021).  The Historian, 84:3, 539-548, January 10, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00182370.2022.2288503. 

 

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e. "Christoparanoia," A review of QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross: Christianity and
Conspiracy Theories by Michael W. Austin and Gregory L. Bock (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2023). Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Volume 77, Number 1, March 2025, p.56-58.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.56315/PSCF3-25Austin   

 

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​f. "Closing the casket on JFK’s assassination," A review of A Heritage of Nonsense: Jim Garrison’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Fred Litwin (NorthernBlues Books, 2024). Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, April 22, 2025.  (www.aristotlefoundation.org) 

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II. INTERVIEWS

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a. Radio

 

a. "Are computers making children smarter?" An Interview with Mike Finnerty, CBC Radio 1: Daybreak, January 8, 2008.

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b. "Radio X-Files: Émission Intégrale du mercredi, 01 février 2023," An Interview with Christian Page (in French), CHOI 98.1 FM: Radio X.  1er février 2023.  

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c. "Why the Kennedy assassination sparked so many conspiracy theories," Interview with Brianna C. Flores, KRLD Dallas: Texas Wants to Know, November 16, 2023

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d. "President John F Kennedy—The assassination that changed the world," Interview with Annabelle Prince, ABCRN: Rear Vision (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio National), November 18, 2023.

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e. "JFK & conspiracy theories," An interview with Rob Breakenridge, QR Calgary 107FM: Afternoons with Rob Breakenridge, November 22, 2023.

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f. "Toronto This Weekend: President Trump Releases JFK, RFK, and MLK Jr. Documents," Interview with Davelle Morrison, Global News : 640 Toronto radio, January 26, 2025. (available on Paranoid Planet, Episode 9.3C, February 17, 2025, timestamp: 1:42:22).

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b. Print

 

a. Tom Fordy: “Why Oliver Stone’s JFK is the greatest lie Hollywood ever told,” The Telegraph (London), 15 July 2020.

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b. Sylvain Daigneau: "Assassinat de JFK : Ancien conspirationniste, un professeur de Saint-Lambert dénonce la pensée paranoïaque," Le Courier du sud, le mercredi 22 novembre 2023.

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​c. Julie Pacorel/AFP: "Tentative d'assassinat de Donald Trump : un déferlement d'infox et théories infondées," Agence France Presse, July 18, 2024.

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c. Podcasts

 

a. “Conspirationnisme, complotisme et Christianisme: Analyse de ces phénomènes et de leurs impacts sur l'Église,” Part 1 and Part 2.  October 2020.  Pub Socratique (a French-language podcast on social issues that intersect with Christian belief and practice).

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b. The Stuph File with Peter Anthony Holder, Episode #0659.  April 3, 2022.  

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c. Interview by Stephen Fagin, curator of the Sixth Floor Museum in Dealey Plaza, Oral History Project, May 17, 2022.

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d. "How to Think About Conspiracy Theories, JFK Assassination (Michel Gagné)," The Michael Shermer Show, June 4, 2022.  (https://www.skeptic.com/michael-shermer-show/)

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e. "Thinking Critically About the Kennedy Assassination," August 26, 2022, Inside the War Room podcast, Episode #100.

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f. "Réfléchir de manière critique à l’assassinat de Kennedy ?" September 23, 2022. Pub Socratique. 

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g. "Interview with a Contrarian Ep 7: Michel Gagné," February 8, 2023, Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, www.aristotlefoundation.org.

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h. "Michel Jacques Gagné: Thinking Critically about the Kennedy Assassination," New Books Network: New Books In American Studies, Feb 21, 2023.  

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i. "Down The Rabbit Hole: Why have conspiracy theories gained so much traction? And are Christians more prone to believe them?" Interview with Natasha Moore, CPX: Center for Public Christianity, October 26, 2023.

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j. "The JFK Assassination: 60 Years later," A conversation with Michael Shermer, with Judge Burt Griffin and Gerald Posner.  The Michael Shermer Show, November 22, 2023 (https://www.skeptic.com/michael-shermer-show/).

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k. "Why Conspiracy Theories Gain More Traction Than Facts," a conversation with Perry Kinkaide, KEI Network, KEI Enterprises, September 5, 2024.

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​l. "On The Trail of Delusion, Episode 17, Michel Gagne," a conversation with Fred Litwin.  April 10, 2025.  ​

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III. CONFERENCES

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a. "Memory, Myth, and the Death of JFK," 2017 Concordia-Vanier Liberal Arts Colloquium in Montreal, March 31, 2017.

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b. "Le phénomène de la chambre d'écho," Congrès Convergence Québec, Montréal. St-Jax Church, October 23, 2021.  

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c. "The Kennedy Assassination: Debunking the Myths and Conspiracy Theories," Then and Now, Our Stories... (Lecture series).  Dorval Library, November 19, 2022.

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d. "The High Cabal and the Lynch Mob: Exploring Conspiracism Through René Girard’s Scapegoating Theory."  (Beginning at the 1:15:00 mark)  Uses and Abuses of Power in Alternative Spiritualities Conference, Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, MA, Friday, April 28, 2023.

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e. "The High Cabal and the Lynch Mob: Exploring Conspiracism Through René Girard’s Scapegoating Theory." International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) Annual Conference, Louisville, KY, June 30,  2023. 

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f. "The High Cabal and the Lynch Mob: Exploring Conspiracism Through René Girard’s Scapegoating Theory." (go to 01:14:30) Patient, person, people: developing a public health perspective on online disinformation and psychological manipulation, SciBeh 2023 online workshop on psychological Manipulation, December 4,  2023.

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