Report on the Evolution of Conspiracy Theory Adherence in Canada and Quebec (2021–2025)
Born out of the public health crisis of 2021, the conspiracy theory phenomenon in Canada did not disappear with the pandemic — it transformed. Building on its ongoing work on radical discourse and disinformation, the UNESCO-PREV Chair publishes a new report measuring the evolution of conspiracy thinking adherence within the Canadian population between 2021 and 2025. Drawing on comparative survey data, this report highlights a slight but significant increase in such adherence — particularly pronounced among young men — as well as a notable rise in indecision regarding conspiracy-related statements. It also explores the themes that fuel these discourses today,
COLLOQUIUM OF THE CANADIAN CENTRE FOR GERMAN AND EUROPEAN STUDIES
Sylvana Al Baba Douaihy, General Coordinator of the Chair, will participate in the colloquium ‘Towards a Disruption of Military Balances within the Alliance’ of the Canadian Centre for German and European Studies, this Monday, May 4th. She will take part in the presentation entitled ‘Digital Sovereignty and the Securitization of Critical Infrastructures: A New Pillar of Power?’, from 1:45 PM to 3:15 PM. To register and for all information, click here.
Sylvain Delouvée: New co-holder of the UNESCO-PREV Chair
🎉 The UNESCO-PREV Chair is pleased to welcome a new co-holder! We are delighted to announce the appointment of Sylvain Delouvée as co-holder of the UNESCO-PREV Chair. Associate Professor (HDR) in Social Psychology at the Université Rennes 2, and recently appointed Adjunct Professor at the School of Applied Politics at the Université de Sherbrooke, Sylvain Delouvée brings to our team a well-established expertise in the dynamics of doubt, conspiracy beliefs, and the processes of information circulation in crisis contexts. 💡 This appointment will strengthen our capacity to supervise students in their research, while further consolidating our international scientific collaborations. To
2026 SQSP Congress
Several members of the Chaire UNESCO-PREV will be participating in the Société québécoise de science politique (SQSP) Congress. May 5 Marie-Eve Carignan, Marie-Ève Martel, and Perrine Hely: workshop on media and affective devices. Frederick Nadeau and Laurie Vaillancourt: workshop on digital aesthetics and reactionary imaginaries. Frederick Nadeau: moderator for the “Radicality, Violence, and Metapolitics” workshop. May 6 Marie-Eve Carignan, David Morin, Mathieu Colin, Elise Mazaloubaud, Perrine Hely, and Léonie Roy: panel on misogyny, masculinism, and anti-feminism in Quebec. Mathieu Colin and Adib Bencherif: panel on information disorders and fact-checking in sub-Saharan Africa. Marie-Eve Carignan: workshop on political media coverage. Frederick
93rd Acfas Congress
Several members of the UNESCO-PREV Chair will take part in the 93rd Acfas Congress, which will be held from May 11 to 15 in Trois-Rivières. On May 11, Marie-Eve Carignan and Simon Thibault will discuss Quebec election campaigns in the age of misinformation. On May 12, Marie-Eve Carignan will take part in an event focused on the internal life of political parties in Quebec, as well as a special event alongside David Morin entitled “The Urgency to Act: UNESCO Chairs Facing Contemporary Crises.” On May 14, Marie-Eve Carignan will discuss ideological convergences, American influence, and the radicalization of online discourse.
Presentation at Cégep André-Laurendeau
On April 1, David Morin, co-holder, Mathieu Colin, Scientific Director, and Emma Vargas Lemeltier, research assistant, delivered a presentation titled “Training with the Weight of Ideas: Masculinism and Society” at Cégep André-Laurendeau. The Chair would like to thank the entire Cégep team and the students for their warm welcome and engaging discussions.