Persuasion and Propaganda ((3 Credits))

Catalog description

This course traces the emergence of strategic persuasive communication and propaganda from its origins to the present day. The basic principles, philosophy, and techniques of mass persuasion in different periods are considered, with an emphasis on contemporary contexts. Students will learn to identify different propaganda techniques, and will gain the tools to evaluate and debunk propaganda campaigns. Various approaches to propaganda are examined across a variety of mass media, including both political and commercial. A developmental approach is used in order to allow the opportunity to see aspects of continuity and change in approaches, and classic texts in the area of mass persuasion and propaganda will be studied.