Propaganda Slides

Date

Definition

✤ “ Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist “

Why we study Propaganda?

✤ Although much fewer large propaganda campaigns nowadays

✤ Growth of communication tools -> Accelerated flow of message

✤ Information overload

✤ We process information quickly and carelessly

Why study Propaganda??

✤ This makes us easier to exploit

✤ e.g. By agitating emotions, playing on insecurities. etc.

✤ Thus, important to recognise propaganda techniques

History of Propaganda

✤ Propaganda has existed since Ancient Times

✤ e.g. Was a subject of study at University in Mauryan Empire (321 - 185BC), India

✤ Has been in existence ever since

✤ Aided by the constant improvement of technology

Classification of Propaganda


White Black Grey

Real source openly identified

Identified as being from a source, but

actually from opposing source

No identifiable source,

real source omitted


✤ White Propaganda

✤ Real source openly identified

✤ But information often still distorted and slanted


✤ Black Propaganda

✤ Identified as being from a source

✤ Actually from opposing source

✤ Objective: To slander and misrepresent enermy

✤ E.g. Black Panther Coloring Book Incident (1968)

Black Panther Coloring Book!

✤ Black Panther Party

✤ Political group fighting for black rights

✤ Against racism, police brutality


✤ This colouring book was mass mailed across America





✤ Actually it’s FBI attempt to discredit Black Panther Party

✤ By exaggerating their militant, aggressive stance

✤ Caused people to stop listening to their legitimate grievances


✤ Grey Propaganda

✤ No identifiable source. Real source omitted

✤ E.g. Radio Liberty / Free Europe

Radio Liberty / Free Europe

✤ Broadcast during Cold War

✤ In Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

✤ A private international, democratic communication platform

✤ Providing objective accounts of events

✤ Actually CIA funded Anti Communitist Tool

Propaganda Techniques

Propaganda Techniques

✤ False Connections

✤ Transfer

✤ Testimonial

✤ Word Games

✤ Name calling

✤ Glittering Generalities

✤ Euphemisms

✤ Special Appeals

✤ Plain Folks

✤ Bandwagon

✤ Fear

Transfer

✤ Transferring the authority of something respected to the thing being avocated

✤ Science, Religion ---> Politics, Products

✤ Is the link relevant?

✤ Is the information trustworthy

Testimonial

✤ Citing a person / source

✤ But is this person or source qualified??

Word Games: Name Calling

✤ To create fear and arouse prejudice by using negative words

✤ To create an unfavourable opinion against a certain target

✤ Obvious

✤ Subtle Way

Word Games:Glittering Generalities

✤ Employ vague sweeping statements

✤ Using Language associated with values and beliefs ( While lacking supporting information or reason )

Special Appeals : Plain Folks

✤ To convince the audiece that the spokesperson is from humble origins

✤ Garner audience’s trust

✤ Have audience’s interest at heart

✤ Ideas are of the people

Special Appeals:Bandwangons

✤ To persuade the audience to follow the crowd

✤ Creates the impression of widespread support

✤ Convince the target audience that if they don’t join in they will be left out

Special Appeals:Fear

✤ To redirect attension away from the merits of a particular proposal and towards steps that can be taken to reduce fear

✤ Seeks to change behavior of audience

✤ 4 elements to successful fear appeal

✤ A threat

✤ A specific recommendation on how th audience should behave

✤ Audience perception that the recommendation will be effective in addressing threat

✤ Audience perception that they are capable of performing the recommend behavior

Case Studies : Germany 1930s - 1940s


✤ Nazi Propaganda : How did it start?

✤ Hitler’s obsessions of creating a perfect race

✤ Propaganda combined with his charismatic speeches propelled him to political stardom

✤ Propaganda focus on eliminating the undesirables and indoctrinate the society to glorify his regime


✤ Joseph Goebbel (Propaganda Minister)

✤ “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.

✤ Setup Reich Chamber of Commerce

✤ Provided radios to households but only channels speeches by Hitler

✤ Uses Generalities



✤ Initially, Hitler tried to court Britain into an alliance

✤ His propaganda praised the British as proficient Aryan Imperialist

✤ Later when at war with the British, they vilified them as oppressive, German hating plutocrats






Case Studies : United States WWII


✤ United States originially had no interest in joining the world war until the attack on Pearl Harbour

✤ There was a need to convince population the war was close at hand

✤ Therefore the rise or Propaganda in the United States

✤ Targeted at enlisting, military bonds and increase productivity


✤ Uncle Sam

✤ The use of Uncle Sam became a propaganda symbol of the American Citizens

✤ A form of Transfer Propaganda

✤ Became an icon that urges the general male public to enlist and fight for America’s Freedom



✤ Lady Liberty

✤ Another use of Transfer Propaganda

✤ Poster refers themselves as Civilisation

✤ Using Short and Direct Messages to communicate the ideas to the public

✤ Heavy use of Tansfer Propaganda to dictate meaning


✤ Name Calling

✤ Using terms such as Mad Brute or Commi

✤ Using popular iconography to depict the enemy

✤ Showing them as monsters and evil creatures



✤ Using Film to as a media of propaganda

✤ Use the enemy's own films to expose their enslaving ends

✤ Without using evidence to substantiate the footage use


✤ Success of Propaganda

✤ largely due to wide array of media used to spread the same message

✤ Use transfer to carry the symbolic meaning of the symbols to evoke emotions

✤ Portray the “Evil Axis” as pure evil using name calling

Case Studies : United States IRAQ

✤ United States need support from people and other nations to wage war in Iraq

✤ Doing so using a number of reasons

✤ Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction

✤ Saddam’s regime as a treat to the USA and world peace

✤ Saddam’s regime had links with international terror groups

✤ The war was part of a war on international terrorism

✤ Spreading Democracy in the Middle East

✤ Helping the Iraqi people get rid of an oppressive regime


✤ Target Audience:

✤ The Allies: Britian, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Russia and Turkey

✤ Americans


✤ Name Calling




✤ Political Censorship


✤ Outcome : Unsuccessful

✤ Negative views shown from statistics by polls in other countries as well as the United States

✤ Claims were not back with evidence

Conclusion

Documents

Propaganda Slides