International PropagandaInternational Propaganda

What What isis propaganda? propaganda?

(At least) 2 schools of thought(At least) 2 schools of thought

Propaganda, however it is defined, is inherently Propaganda, however it is defined, is inherently deceitful and thus morally reprehensibledeceitful and thus morally reprehensible

Because it is about manipulation (of symbols, Because it is about manipulation (of symbols, images, words, ideas) it can never be justifiedimages, words, ideas) it can never be justified

Or - that it is a Or - that it is a processprocess of persuasion and, as of persuasion and, as such, is inherently neutral or value neutralsuch, is inherently neutral or value neutral

This lecture takes the latter view…..This lecture takes the latter view….. …….and thus sees propaganda as a process of .and thus sees propaganda as a process of

persuasion which can be used for good as well as persuasion which can be used for good as well as ill.ill.

(At least) 2 models(At least) 2 models

Authoritarian/TotalitarianAuthoritarian/Totalitarian – coercion or force – coercion or force in support of persuasion; total censorship; in support of persuasion; total censorship; permeates every aspect of society from permeates every aspect of society from schools to sport; repetition whether true or schools to sport; repetition whether true or not; ‘The Big Lie’; not; ‘The Big Lie’;

DemocraticDemocratic – consensus through – consensus through persuasion, minimal censorship, news persuasion, minimal censorship, news rather than views, issue-based, ‘The rather than views, issue-based, ‘The Strategy of Truth’Strategy of Truth’

What is Propaganda?What is Propaganda?

Original meaning – to propagate the Original meaning – to propagate the Catholic ‘faith’ - (Congregatio de Catholic ‘faith’ - (Congregatio de Propaganda Fide – 17Propaganda Fide – 17thth Century - Century - renamed the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in 1967))

Sowing seeds of thought to translate Sowing seeds of thought to translate into action (or inaction)into action (or inaction)

Acquired pejorative meaning 1914-18; Acquired pejorative meaning 1914-18; cultivation of germ(an)scultivation of germ(an)s

‘‘A Good Word Gone Wrong’ – A Good Word Gone Wrong’ – Popular Associations post 1918Popular Associations post 1918

Atrocity propagandaAtrocity propaganda Lies and half-truthsLies and half-truths A ‘black art’ ‘defiling the human soul’ at A ‘black art’ ‘defiling the human soul’ at

a time when the mind was only just a time when the mind was only just becoming understood (psychology)becoming understood (psychology)

BUT…..Better to persuade than perish?BUT…..Better to persuade than perish?

The Taylor DefinitionThe Taylor Definition

Propaganda is a process of persuasion Propaganda is a process of persuasion which utilises any available means (media) which utilises any available means (media) to persuade people (target audiences) to to persuade people (target audiences) to think and/or behave in a manner desired by think and/or behave in a manner desired by the source in order to benefit the interests of the source in order to benefit the interests of that source, either directly or indirectly.that source, either directly or indirectly.

This does not preclude the possibility that This does not preclude the possibility that the recipient might also benefit in some the recipient might also benefit in some way.way.

What it is What it is notnot

Education …. But?Education …. But? Is it COMPLETELY honest?Is it COMPLETELY honest? It is not about ‘Truth’It is not about ‘Truth’ Confined to dictatorships/authoritarian Confined to dictatorships/authoritarian

regimesregimes Designed to benefit Designed to benefit solelysolely the recipient the recipient

EDUCATION

HOW TO THINK WHAT TO THINK

BLACKPROPAGANDA

PUBLICRELATIONS

ADVERTISING SPIN WHITE & GREYPROPAGANDA

SPECTRUM OF PERSUASION

What What isis propaganda? propaganda?

It is a process of persuasionIt is a process of persuasion It is on the spectrum of communication from It is on the spectrum of communication from

who says what to whom, when, how and who says what to whom, when, how and with what effectwith what effect

It injects the question ‘why?’ into that It injects the question ‘why?’ into that spectrumspectrum

Therefore it is about Therefore it is about intentintent Moral judgements more appropriately directed at Moral judgements more appropriately directed at

intention, not the process or the resultsintention, not the process or the results

IntentionsIntentions

As a As a processprocess, propaganda is value-neutral, propaganda is value-neutral As such, it is neither a ‘good’ nor a ‘bad’ As such, it is neither a ‘good’ nor a ‘bad’

thingthing Value judgements (‘good’ or ‘bad’) like this Value judgements (‘good’ or ‘bad’) like this

are more appropriately directed as the are more appropriately directed as the intentions behind doing itintentions behind doing it

Also more useful to speak of ‘effective’ and Also more useful to speak of ‘effective’ and ‘ineffective’ propaganda (results) rather than ‘ineffective’ propaganda (results) rather than ‘good propaganda’ = successful and ‘bad ‘good propaganda’ = successful and ‘bad propaganda’ = unsuccessfulpropaganda’ = unsuccessful

‘‘Good’ or ‘Bad’ Intentions?Good’ or ‘Bad’ Intentions?

WW2 Nazi Propaganda 1990s Balkans DemocraticPropaganda

21st century info-propaganda

Propaganda is something Propaganda is something someone else does!! someone else does!!

‘‘Democracies only resort Democracies only resort to propaganda in wartime’to propaganda in wartime’

‘‘Totalitarian regimes do it Totalitarian regimes do it all the time’all the time’

We tell the ‘truth’; they tell We tell the ‘truth’; they tell lieslies

In fact we tell our ‘truth’ In fact we tell our ‘truth’ and they tell their ‘truth’and they tell their ‘truth’

Whose ‘truth’ is right?Whose ‘truth’ is right? Better to talk about Better to talk about

credibilitycredibility

Propaganda – NATO definitionPropaganda – NATO definition

ANY INFORMATION, IDEAS, DOCTRINES ANY INFORMATION, IDEAS, DOCTRINES OR SPECIAL APPEALS,OR SPECIAL APPEALS,

DISSEMINATED TO INFLUENCE THE DISSEMINATED TO INFLUENCE THE OPINIONS, EMOTIONS, ATTITUDES OR OPINIONS, EMOTIONS, ATTITUDES OR BEHAVIOUR OF ANY SPECIFIED GROUPBEHAVIOUR OF ANY SPECIFIED GROUP

IN ORDER TO BENEFIT THE SPONSOR, IN ORDER TO BENEFIT THE SPONSOR, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLYEITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY

PROPAGANDA PROPAGANDA CATEGORIESCATEGORIES

WHITE - overt, attributable to a definite WHITE - overt, attributable to a definite sourcesource

BLACK - covert, deliberate deception BLACK - covert, deliberate deception where a false source is definitely where a false source is definitely impliedimplied

GREY - where a source is concealed GREY - where a source is concealed and not acknowledged by the originatorand not acknowledged by the originator

COHESIVE PROPAGANDACOHESIVE PROPAGANDA

CREATES GOODWILLCREATES GOODWILL PROMOTES FRIENDSHIPPROMOTES FRIENDSHIP RAISES MORALERAISES MORALE STRESSES COMMON STRESSES COMMON

INTERESTSINTERESTS GAINS CO-OPERATIONGAINS CO-OPERATION

DIVISIVE PROPAGANDADIVISIVE PROPAGANDA

LOWERS MORALELOWERS MORALE CREATES APATHY, DEFEATISM & CREATES APATHY, DEFEATISM &

DISCORDDISCORD PROMOTES DISSENTION, PANIC PROMOTES DISSENTION, PANIC

SUBVERSION, RESISTANCE, SUBVERSION, RESISTANCE, DESERTION, SURRENDER & DESERTION, SURRENDER & DEFECTIONDEFECTION

PROPAGANDA VARIANTSPROPAGANDA VARIANTS

INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION (Public Diplomacy/Cultural Diplomacy)(Public Diplomacy/Cultural Diplomacy)

PSYCHOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE/OPERATIONSWARFARE/OPERATIONS

INFORMATION WARFARE/OPERATIONSINFORMATION WARFARE/OPERATIONS PUBLIC RELATIONS/SPIN DOCTORINGPUBLIC RELATIONS/SPIN DOCTORING ADVERTISING/MARKETING (?)ADVERTISING/MARKETING (?) PUBLICITYPUBLICITY NEWS? (‘the shocktroops of propaganda’)NEWS? (‘the shocktroops of propaganda’)

PROPAGANDA

AUTHORITARIAN MODEL(Censorship, police enforcementMedia are state controlled,Opposition denied)

DEMOCRATIC MODEL

(Regulation rather than censorship, media are free/act as watchdog, Opposition essential)

Messages are top down,Centrally coordinated,Outside world sealed offto deny competing ‘truths’

Messages compete with others, internally and externally, top down to bottom up to see consensus(ie ‘prevailing truth’) emerge

The process of persuasion spectrumin the democratic model

EDUCATION ADVERTISING PUBLICRELATIONS

How to think(benefits therecipient)

What to buy(benefits theprofits)

Who to like(benefits thecompany)

POLITICALCOMMS(‘spin’)

Who to votefor(benefits the party)

PROPAGANDA

What to think?(benefits thesource)

SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL PROPAGANDA PRINCIPLESPROPAGANDA PRINCIPLESIS MOST IS MOST EFFECTIVEEFFECTIVE WHEN WHEN IT IS BASED UPON CREDIBLE IT IS BASED UPON CREDIBLE

TRUTHTRUTH PRESENTED IN AN ATTRACTIVE PRESENTED IN AN ATTRACTIVE

FORMFORM IT AROUSES A NEEDIT AROUSES A NEED IT SUGGESTS SATISFACTIONIT SUGGESTS SATISFACTION

ADDITIONAL PRINCIPLESADDITIONAL PRINCIPLES

REFRAINS FROM RIGID DOGMATISMREFRAINS FROM RIGID DOGMATISM AVOIDS ANTAGONISMAVOIDS ANTAGONISM IDENTIFIES ITSELF WITH THE IDENTIFIES ITSELF WITH THE

TARGETTARGET EXPLOITS, WHEN OPPORTUNE, EXPLOITS, WHEN OPPORTUNE,

WEAKNESSES IN HOSTILE WEAKNESSES IN HOSTILE PROPAGANDA TO THE MAXIMUMPROPAGANDA TO THE MAXIMUM

HOW TO GET CAUGHT OUTHOW TO GET CAUGHT OUT

Lies will be discovered sooner or laterLies will be discovered sooner or later How to keep secrets (e.g. real source of How to keep secrets (e.g. real source of

black propaganda) in the Information Age black propaganda) in the Information Age (Google Earth)(Google Earth)

The ‘truth’ must be credible, not incredibleThe ‘truth’ must be credible, not incredible Or do people believe what they want to Or do people believe what they want to

believe and dismiss alternative views as believe and dismiss alternative views as ‘mere propaganda’?‘mere propaganda’?

Key Propaganda WritersKey Propaganda Writers

Walter Lippmann & Harold LasswellWalter Lippmann & Harold Lasswell Aldous Huxley & George OrwellAldous Huxley & George Orwell HitlerHitler Jacques EllulJacques Ellul Noam Chomsky & Edward HermanNoam Chomsky & Edward Herman R S Zaharna (on PD)R S Zaharna (on PD) A PratkanisA Pratkanis