Are you a lizard person?: The strange history of the reptilian conspiracy theory
According to conspiracy theorists like David Icke, our world has always been ruled by a race of evil, shape-shifting, reptilian humanoids who masquerade as human and assume positions of power. More than a dozen violent crimes, including murders and bombings, have been committed by people trying to stop the reptilians. This talk traces the conspiracy theory from its origins in the stories of Texas writer Robert E. Howard, through occult groups during the Great Depression, and finally to the early internet. It will also apply a religious studies approach to explore why the conspiracy theory is so enduring.
Speaker Bio:
Joseph P. Laycock is a professor of religious studies at Texas State University. His research explores new religious movements, moral panic, and spirit possession, among other topics. His books include The Penguin Book of Cults (2025), The Exorcist Effect: Religion, Horror, and Demonic Belief (2023), and Speak of the Devil: How the Satanic Temple is Changing the Way We Talk About Religion (2020). He is also a co-general editor for the journal Nova Religio is a professor of religious studies at Texas State University. His research explores new religious movements, moral panic, and spirit possession, among other topics. His books include The Penguin Book of Cults (2025), The Exorcist Effect: Religion, Horror, and Demonic Belief (2023), and Speak of the Devil: How the Satanic Temple is Changing the Way We Talk About Religion (2020). He is also a co-general editor for the journal Nova Religio
Curated & Hosted by
Marguerite Johnson is a cultural historian of the ancient Mediterranean, specialising in sexuality and gender, particularly in the poetry of Sappho, Catullus, and Ovid, as well as magical traditions in Greece, Rome, and the Near East. She also researches Classical Reception Studies, with a regular focus on Australia. In addition to ancient world studies, Marguerite is interested in sexual histories in modernity as well as magic in the west more broadly, especially the practices and art of Australian witch, Rosaleen Norton. She is Honorary Professor of Classics and Ancient History at The University of Queensland, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. She lives in Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesvos.
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