Propaganda and Persuasion

Chapter 1 What Is Propaganda, and How Does It Differ From Persuasion?

29

Another form of facilitative propaganda is helping societies restore their institutions after war or conflict. American soldiers in Afghanistan have been rebuilding schools in Paktia with the objective of winning enough gratitude and loyalty from the local Afghans to undercut any support for the defeated Taliban movement (Constable, 2002, p. 15). Under the Obama administration, the Department of Commerce has an Afghanistan Investment and Reconstructive Task Force to encourage business opportunities to develop the economy in Afghanistan and Pakistan ("What's New in the Strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan," 2010). The use of propaganda is prevalent in the world today. It is not only obvi ous in war-torn countries, divisions between and among ethnic groups, and struggles for power, but dissemination of propaganda is easier than it has ever been. Communication networks have expanded and changed, and information tends to be more accessible. The institutions of modern society, government, business, and religion retain the need to manipulate responses deliberately.

A Model of Propaganda

The literature of propaganda often refers to "mass persuasion," suggesting that propaganda is persuasion on a one-to-many basis. Propaganda tends to

Figure 1.6 The Jowett/O'Donnell purpose model of propaganda

AFB non-mediated

A--->C—).B A— sender mediated B— receiver

COMMUNICATION A TO B ABOUT X

C— gatekeeper

S — share ideas E — explain I — Instruct

R-s — Response - shaping R r — Response - reinforcing R-c — Response - changing

PERSUASION

INFORMATION S-E-I

R-s—R-r—R-c

PURPOSE: To promote mutual fulfillment of needs for A and B

PURPOSE: To promote mutual understanding for A and 13

C — control information flow M — manage public opinion M — manipulate behavior patterns

PROPAGANDA

INFORMATION

PERSUASION

C-M-M

PURPOSE: To promote the objectives of A, not necessarily in the best interest of B