Download PROPAGANDA ANALYSIS

PROPAGANDA ANALYSIS
A 10-step plan of propaganda
analysis
The warfare metaphor
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The destruction of the enemy’s will
to resist, and with a minimum
annihilation of fighting capacity
(H. Lasswell, 1951)
Step 1: The Ideology and Purpose
of the Propaganda Campaign
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Ideology: A value system or belief system
accepted as fact or truth by some group.
It is composed of sets of attitudes toward the
various institutions and processes of society.
An ideology provides the believer with a
picture of the world both as it is and as it
should be.
It organizes the complexity of the world into
something fairly simple and understandable
The Purpose of the Propaganda
Campaign is:
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to achieve acceptance of propagandist’s
ideology by the people
to establish a set of values that provides
the basis for determining what is good,
bad, right or wrong
Propaganda may incorporate such
elements of ideology as references to:
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preexisting struggles and past situations
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current frames of reference and value
systems
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future goals and objectives
Step 2: The Context in Which
Propaganda Occurs
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Considerations of historical background,
existing beliefs and values, prevailing
social myths, prevailing public mood, etc.
The use of myth
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A story or event that illuminates the key
values of some society or association: the
original events can be real, but they serve
unreal imaginary beliefs (e.g., that of
national superiority)
National glory and national suffering
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“Suffering” of American Colonists in the
late 1700s.
“Glorious victory” against the British
September 11, 2001
D-Day, Pearl Harbor, “Remember
Alamo!”
Reshaping myths / images
Japan: from militaristic aggressor in the
1930s and 1940s to a victim of the atomic
bomb
East Germany: from former center of
Nazism to an anti-fascist peace loving
Prejudice / Hate
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The cult of hatred and xenophobia is the
cheapest and surest method to persuade
masses.
The use of myth:
national stereotypes (once more)
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Backward: Poor, Lazy, Ignorant,
Indolent, Submissive, Inefficient (but:
Proud, Polite, Traditional, Easygoing)
Advanced: Enterprising, Ambitious,
Industrious, Intelligent, Progressive,
Efficient, Successful (but: Ruthless,
Aggressive, Money-hungry, Cunning)
Step 3: Identification of the
Propagandist
Usually an institution or organization
It could be open or concealed
The International Council for
Democratic Institutions
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http://www.icdiss.org/
The Case for Independence of Transdniestria
America Supports You
(Pentagon)
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/index.aspx
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First year cost to private PR firm
about $3,000,000
Students at an Oklahoma schools collected $600 for ASY
Step 4: Structure of Propagandist
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Usually strong, centralized, decisionmaking authorities produce consistent
messages throughout their structure.
Leadership influential in setting general
tone and approach.
Structure produces long term goals and
short term objectives.
Propaganda organization
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What is the internal culture of the
organization?
What is its ideology?
Who are the members of the
organization and how do they get to be
members?
To whom does the organization release
information about itself?
Source Credibility
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What is the audience’s perceived image
of the source? How does the
propagandist establish identification with
the audience?
How does the propagandist work through
those who have credibility in a
community? (opinion leaders).
How does the propagandist provide
opportunities for face-to-face contact?
Step 5: Target Audience
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The propaganda message is aimed at the
audience most likely to be useful to the
propagandist if it responds favorably.
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How is the target audience identified and
reached?
Step 6: Media Utilization
Techniques
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Which media? One dominant or a combination
of many?
Flow of communication: from one medium to
another; from media to groups and individuals.
Are there competing media? (opportunity for
counterpropaganda)
How is the message presented?
Effectiveness? (how do we know this?)
Step 7: Types of Techniques
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Predispositions of the Audience (Resonance)
Source Credibility
Reward and Punishment
Fear, Intimidation
Arousal of Emotions
Visual Symbols
Language
Music
Predispositions of the Audience:
Creating Resonance
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Messages that are supportive of, rather than
discrepant from, commonly held views of the
people are more likely to be effective.
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The propagandist links audiences beliefs with
the propagandistic ideology.
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The propagandist uses knowledge of
audience’s norms and values
Reward and Punishment
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For example, uses of aid to secure
compliance with foreign policy.
Weapons of intimidation
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For example
Aztec’s terror of religious blood sacrifice
and cannibalism (some orgies lasted days
and killed thousands victims)
They sharply lowered Aztec’s enemies
will to resist
Weapons of intimidation
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Hernando Cortes’ use of horses against
Aztecs.
The Aztecs thought the Spaniards on
their horses at first a single, two-headed
giant animals.
Weapons of intimidation
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Terror of rape when the Red Army
entered German territory in 1945
(officially prohibited)
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Terror of rape in Bosnia-Herzegovina in
the early 1990s
Weapons of intimidation
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Portsmouth Peace Treat 1905 between
Russia and Japan
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Organized by Roosevelt in Portsmouth to
show the might of the U.S. Navy
Arousal of Emotions
Language Usage
Music as Propaganda
Visuals Symbols
Language Used
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Propaganda uses language that tends
to deify a cause and ‘satanize’
opponents. Exaggeration is often
associated with propaganda. Likewise,
innuendo
The Use of Language
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The way an object is described directs our
thoughts and channel our cognitive responses
(positive or negative)
Example of “Name Calling”: The condemning
of an idea on its face by giving it a bad label
regardless of the evidence.
The Use of Language
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“voodoo-economics” Bush Sr.
“Death tax” (inheritance tax)
Boston Massacre March 5, 1770
“Red Menace and the Jewish Problem”
“A kindlier, gentler America” (Bush Sr.)
“Honorable peace” (Nixon)
“The Man from Hope” (Clinton)
The Use of Language
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The War or the Defense Department
Collateral damage
The war against drugs, terrorism…
The war on poverty
Big business, Big oil, Tax on the Rich
75% lean or 25% fat?
“New and Improved”
Language: Self-fulfilling prophecy
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The tendency for a definition of a
situation to evoke behavior that makes
that definition come true
Asymmetrical definition
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The deliberate use of audience-familiar
words that evoke shared meanings but
are not shared by the source of the
message for the purpose of deception.
“Peace” used by the Nazis. Hitler always
portrayed himself as “peace-loving”
“Democracy” used by the communists.
Hitler’s speech 1941
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What offers did I make them! How I begged them
to be reasonable! I begged them to see reason. My
speeches were all governed by the one idea: it
must be possible to find a method for a peaceful
solution. What we are doing is making a sacrifice
in the interest of peace. We make this sacrifice,
but we, at least, want to have peace in exchange
for it.
Hitler’s speech 1941
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I held out my hand, again and again. We have
not asked them for anything, not demanded
anything, again and again I offered my hand for
negotiations. It was in vain. I held out my hand to
England. I was received with derision. They
practically spat at me. They were indignant.
Hitler’s speech 1941
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We are involved in a war which we did not
want. Otherwise one could not stretch out one's
hand to the other side. However, if those financial
hyenas want war, if they want to exterminate
Germany, they will get the surprise of their lives.
Hitler’s speech 1941
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The year which lies behind us has been a year of
great successes, but also, it is true, one of many
sacrifices. Our whole sympathy, our love and care
belongs to those who had to make these sacrifices.
That the Lord should not abandon us in this
struggle of the coming year—Let that be our
prayer.
Hitler’s speech
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9fEM-MfSiU&feature=related
Hitler’s messianic rhetoric
“Lord, you see, we have changed.
The German people is no longer the people without
honour, of disgrace, tearing itself apart, fainthearted, and weak in faith.
No, Lord, the German people is strong again in its
will…”
Hitler’s messianic rhetoric
“How can we not once again feel in this hour the
miracle which has brought us together.
You have once heard the voice of a man, and it has
struck your hearts, it has awakened you, and you
have followed this voice...
Now we are together, we are with him and he is with
us, and we are now Germany.”
Goebbels on Hitler
Hitler’s election is a religion in the deepest and most
mysterious sense of the word
in which a nation professed its belief in God,
through its spokesman and put its fate and life
trustingly in his hands
Music as Propaganda
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Music combines sound and language
and is repeated until it becomes
familiar. It touches the emotions easily,
suggestions associations and past
experiences, invites us to sing along
and embraces ideology in the lyrics.
National Anthems
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Casablanca French National Anthem
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iYbEPZVVIA
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Soviet Union
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjGtR_whEQc
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Apocalypse Now
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz3Cc7wlfkI&feature=related
Visual Symbols
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Symbols of power, nationalism,
patriotism, unity, etc.
For example:
flags, monuments, historical figures,
battle scenes,
the use of colors
Dada panorama
by Hannah Hoch (1919, Germany)
Pablo Picasso: Guernica (1937)
Soviet art, 1940s
Manipulation
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V.I.Lenin 5/5/1920
The original picture (right) with Trotsky
Manipulation
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O.J. Simpson 1994
Manipulation
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Sept. 2006 Beirut.
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Photographer Adnan Hajj from Reuters
Maya Lin’s Vietnam memorial
Murals
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Diego Rivera historical murals
Buildings
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Acropolis
Hitler’s Chancellery
Chancellery
Step 8: Audience Reaction
Indicated/measured by opinion polls, public
behavior, voting, media reports, etc.
Other evidence might include rate of
recruitment to the propaganda organization,
contributions, audience adoption of slogans,
language, attire, etc.
Step 9: Counterpropaganda
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This may be above ground or below
ground.
Direct counter-propaganda
In metaphorical forms in literature and
theatre.
Step 10: Effects
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Effects and Evaluation
Has the propagandist achieved his
goals?