Conspiracy theories are embedded in American history, though today they circulate at speeds we haven't seen before. Qanon, or Q, is a modern-day example of the power of conspiracies in American political discourse. Loyalty to Q is a common theme among those involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang work to disentangle the web of conspiracy theories and their effects in this episode with two experts: Michael Butter and Nancy Rosenblum.

Butter is author of "The Nature of Conspiracy Theories" and is professor of American literature and cultural history at the University of Tübingen. Rosenblum is author of "A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy" and is the Harvard University Senator Joseph Clark Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government emerita.