Information Integrity Interdisciplinary Research Network
About Us
In recent years, global information disorder—the pervasive spread of false and harmful information—has been recognised as a major challenge by national and international bodies, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the UK Government and the World Health Organization. Misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories and hate speech are increasingly propagated by authoritarian governments, extremist political actors and profit-driven social media accounts. They undermine citizens’ deliberative capacities, destabilise democratic institutions and, as seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, can be deadly.
Addressing this global challenge requires interdisciplinary approaches. For example, psychology can offer insights into the cognitive processes that make people susceptible to misinformation. Philosophy, particularly epistemology, helps define what misinformation is and why it persuades, guiding the creation of educational tools. Politics offers frameworks for understanding the power structures behind misinformation. Sociology examines the social networks and conditions that drive its spread and appeal. The Information Integrity Research Network at the University of Glasgow brings together these perspectives to understand the forces sustaining misinformation and to develop strategies to counter it.
Latest Updates
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12 DecOn 19 January 2026: Navigating Epistemically Polluted Environments
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24 Nov
IIRN Cinemarc event
Information Integrity Research Network and the ARC co-organised a special screening of Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher’s 2010 hit, The Social Network, as part of CinemARC events.
Affiliated Researchers
Dr Elisa Belle
Dr Erman Işık
Dr Rachael McLellan
Dr Timothy Peacock
Prof Bernhard Reinsberg
Professor of International Political Economy and Development (Political & International Studies)
Dr Joanna Szostek
More Information
What do we do?
- Workshops and events: We host online workshops and in-person events to explore key debates, research methods and collaborative opportunities
- Building research capacity: Our network equips researchers with the theoretical and methodological tools needed to analyse misinformation, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and supports the development of innovative research approaches.
- Engaging with leading researchers: We invite scholars conducting major misinformation research projects to share their experiences and discuss new directions in the field.