The Social Chemist

Nelson Perez

A podcast that looks into the psychosocial elements that contribute to conspiracy theories and political extremism. Hosted by social worker and conspiracy theory researcher Nelson Perez.

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Episodes

A Psychological Assessment of QAnon & It's Comparison to Addiction w/ Sophia Moskalenko
Sep 29 2024
A Psychological Assessment of QAnon & It's Comparison to Addiction w/ Sophia Moskalenko
Send us a textIn today's episode, Dr. Sophia Moskalenko joins me in the program to discuss the various factors that contributed to the insurrection on January 6 and how exposure to conspiracy theories can lead believers and non-believers to engage in political violence. We also cover the topic of how to label Q movement and whether a comparison between QAnon and addiction can be made with the current studies on the subject. InstagramThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) • Instagram photos and videosThreadThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) on ThreadsSubstackThe Social Chemist Newsletter | SubstackSophia Moskalenko Literature Review / NBC Article(PDF) Mere exposure to conspiracy theories: effects on radical intentions among believers and nonbelievers (researchgate.net)Why QAnon followers are like opioid addicts, and why that matters (nbcnews.com)Sophia Moskalenko BooksPastels and Pedophiles: Inside the Mind of QAnon: Bloom, Mia, Moskalenko, Sophia: 9781503630291: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Friction: How Radicalization Happens to Them and Us: 9780199747436: McCauley, Clark, Moskalenko, Sophia: BooksRadicalization to Terrorism: What Everyone Needs to Know®: Moskalenko, Sophia, McCauley, Clark: 9780190862589: Amazon.com: BooksRecommended Social Chemist EpisodesQAnon: A Psychiatric Assessment of a Delusion Like Belief w/ Dr. Brian Holoyda (buzzsprout.com)Here Comes the Storm: The Origins of QAnon w/ Mike Rothschild (buzzsprout.com)A Psychosocial Assessment of QAnon w/ Dr. Joseph Pierre (buzzsprout.com)
The Emergence of Christian Extremism & The Future of the Republican Party w/ Elizabeth Neumann
Aug 11 2024
The Emergence of Christian Extremism & The Future of the Republican Party w/ Elizabeth Neumann
Send us a textOn today's episode, former assistant secretary for counterterrorism and prevention at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Elizabeth Neumann, joins the podcast to discuss her book "Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace." We dive into her experience pushing back against Trumpism within the Evangelical community, the history of Christian Extremism in America, and the future of the Republican Party.  InstagramThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) • Instagram photos and videosThreadThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) on ThreadsSubstackThe Social Chemist Newsletter | SubstackElizabeth Neumann's Website/X (formally Twitter) Navigating the Path Back to Peace – Breaking the Rage Cycle and Navigating the Path to Peace with Elizabeth NeumannElizabeth Neumann (@NeuSummits) / XElizabeth Neumann's Book Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace: Neumann, Elizabeth: 9781546002055: Amazon.com: BooksRecommended Social Chemist EpisodesThe Role of Social Workers in Prevention Violence Extremism w/ Patrick R. Riccards (buzzsprout.com)The Evolution of Far-Right Terrorism in the 21st Century w/ Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware (buzzsprout.com)The Global State of Antisemitism & an Examination of the Zionist Project w/ Kenneth Stern (buzzsprout.com)Undercover within the New Face of White Supremacy w/ Matson & Tawni Browning (buzzsprout.com)News Media Literacy: An Educators Tool Against Misinformation w/ DeMario Phipps Smith (buzzsprout.com)How the Far-Right hijacked the Wellness Movement w/ Dr. Stephanie Alice Baker (buzzsprout.com)ReferencesUK Braces for More Far-Right Riots Fueled by Misinformation (yahoo.com)
The Role of Social Workers in Prevention Violence Extremism w/ Patrick R. Riccards
Jul 7 2024
The Role of Social Workers in Prevention Violence Extremism w/ Patrick R. Riccards
Send us a textOn today's episode, Patrick R. Riccards, CEO of Life After Hate, joins the podcast to discuss how his organization uses evidence-based practices to help former extremists deradicalized and reintegrate into society. We cover whether prevention of violent extremism programs are well equipped for the potential Trump presidency and the rise of far-right domestic terrorism. I also cover some of the challenges social workers face in establishing their expertise in this field.  InstagramThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) • Instagram photos and videosThreadThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) on ThreadsSubstackThe Social Chemist Newsletter | SubstackLife After Hate WebsiteLife After HatePatrick R. RiccardsPatrick R. Riccards (patrickrriccards.com)Recommended Episodes Social Workers Role in Addressing Political Extremism w/ Royce Hutson, Ph.D. (buzzsprout.com)The Global State of Antisemitism & an Examination of the Zionist Project w/ Kenneth Stern (buzzsprout.com)The Evolution of Far-Right Terrorism in the 21st Century w/ Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware (buzzsprout.com)Undercover within the New Face of White Supremacy w/ Matson & Tawni Browning (buzzsprout.com)How the Far-Right hijacked the Wellness Movement w/ Dr. Stephanie Alice Baker (buzzsprout.com)ReferencesJim Jordan Issues Information Requests to Universities Researching Disinformation — ProPublicaJim Jordan's war on disinformation experts is working as planned (msnbc.com)Vivek Ramaswamy fires back at reporter asking if he condemns white supremacy: ‘Stupid question’ (youtube.com)
The Global State of Antisemitism & an Examination of the Zionist Project w/ Kenneth Stern
Jun 9 2024
The Global State of Antisemitism & an Examination of the Zionist Project w/ Kenneth Stern
Send us a textOn today's episode, the director of the Bard Center for Study of Hate and author of "Conflict Over the Conflict: The Israel/Palestine Campus Debates," Ken Stern, joins me to discuss the events of October 7th and how the Antisemitism Awareness Act is being used to censor speech. A scholar who developed the working definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), Ken offers discussions about how political discourse is a more effective way of combatting the hatred of Jews. In the episode, we also touch upon the history of Zionism and whether it is essential for Judaism.  InstagramThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) • Instagram photos and videosThreadThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) on ThreadsSubstackThe Social Chemist Newsletter | Substack Kenneth Stern Website Staff: Director Kenneth S. Stern – Bard Center for the Study of Hate Kenneth Stern BookAmazon.com: Stern: The Conflict over the Conflict: 9781487507367: Stern, Kenneth S., Strossen, Nadine: BooksArticles about Kenneth Stern The Problem with Defining Antisemitism | The New Yorker  Colleges Use His Antisemitism Definition to Censor. He Calls It a ‘Travesty.’ (chronicle.com)  Author of a definition on antisemitism: It wasn't meant to chill speech (bostonglobe.com)  ‘The Conflict over the Conflict’ | Penn Today (upenn.edu) Recommended Social Chemist Episodes The Origins of the Rothschilds Conspiracy Legends & Rise of Modern Antisemitism w/ Mike Rothschild (buzzsprout.com) The Evolution of Far-Right Terrorism in the 21st Century w/ Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware (buzzsprout.com) Antisemitism: The Conspiracy Theory of the Enemy Above (buzzsprout.com) References The State of Antisemitism in America 2023: AJC's Survey of American Jews | AJC  Majority in U.S. Now Disapprove of Israeli Action in Gaza (gallup.com)
Here Comes the Storm: The Origins of QAnon w/ Mike Rothschild
Sep 13 2023
Here Comes the Storm: The Origins of QAnon w/ Mike Rothschild
Send us a textOn today's episode, I am joined by conspiracy theory researcher and QAnon expert, Mike Rothschild. We explore the origins of QAnon, whether mental health practitioners have a role in addressing far-right conspiracy theories and assess the conspiratorial framework of the Q movement based on his 2021 book "The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became A Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything." We conclude our discussion by speaking about his third book, which will be released on September 19th, titled “Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories”. A book that explores how one Jewish family --the Rothschilds--became a lightning rod for conspiracy theories in the last two centuries. Facebook The Social Chemist | Facebook Instagram The Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter The Social Chemist | Twitter SubstackThe Social Chemist | Substack Mike Rothchild Website/Twitter Select Media Appearances, 2020-2023 – Mike Rothschild (themikerothschild.com)  Mike Rothschild (no relation) (@rothschildmd) / X (twitter.com) Mike Rothchild Books  Amazon.com: The World's Worst Conspiracies: 9781789509328: Rothschild, Mike: Books  Amazon.com: The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything: 9781612199290: Rothschild, Mike: Books  Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories: Rothschild, Mike: 9781685890643: Amazon.com: Books Recommended Social Chemist Episodes QAnon: A Psychiatric Assessment of a Delusion Like Belief w/ Dr. Brian Holoyda (buzzsprout.com) How the Far-Right hijacked the Wellness Movement w/ Dr. Stephanie Alice Baker (buzzsprout.com)The Conspiratorial State Of The Republican Party w/ Sam Faldraga (buzzsprout.com) Antisemitism: The Conspiracy Theory of the Enemy Above (buzzsprout.com)