Propaganda has been a factor in politics since antiquity, but in an age when social media has made disseminating ideas easier than ever and the terms “fake news” and “alternate facts” have entered the popular lexicon, it appears particularly pernicious. Studying what propaganda is, as well as by whom (and how) it is propounded and what its goals are, is therefore particularly relevant today. This course begins by looking at the history of the term and its conceptual underpinnings. Next, we examine various examples of propaganda, historical as well as more contemporary (while our primary focus is on political propaganda, we will look at other forms as well). The class concludes by considering the normative implications of propaganda for the societies we live in.
Offered: Harvard Extension School, Summer 2023 and 2024
Position: Teaching Assistant for Prof. George Soroka