After 9/11, fear spreads and not just in the US. Images of the enemy take hold and intensify. Crises, surveillance, and online hatred fuel the viral spread of conspiracy theories.
The hunt for the masterminds behind 9/11 sees the growing prominence of US intelligence agencies and military drones. By resorting to legal violations and torture, the US jeopardizes its credibility.
The shock of 2001 deepens political and social divides from the rise of right-wing populism and the erosion of trust in the media to the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan.