Syllabus
Lecture n 1: 15.03.2024 (5 hours)
• Introduction on Propaganda:
• Propaganda's sociological journey: history, theory, practice, purpose.
• Music and propaganda: political tools, pop music as propaganda.
• “Special Military Operation” - SMO or Russian War in Ukraine
Lecture n 2: 16.03.2024 (3 hours)
• Past and Present of Propaganda:
• Authoritarian regimes and conflict zones.
• Soviet-Afghani war: impact on culture.
• Wars in Chechnya, Georgia, etc.
Lecture n 3: 22.03.2024 (5 hours)
• Propaganda of Nationalism and patriotism in the world history:
• Music, arts, and media propaganda in the USSR
Lecture n 4: 23.03.2024 (3 hours)
• Globalisation and Propaganda:
• The impact of globalisation on the development and nature of propaganda, influencing international relations and shaping global perspectives.
Annotation
Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945), the mastermind behind propaganda during the German Third Reich, wielded his oratorical and propagandist skills to craft a positive image of the Nazi regime among the German populace. His influence extended beyond Germany, impacting other authoritarian regimes such as the USSR and contemporary
Russia, where obedience to authority often superseded personal freedom. The recent conflict in Ukraine underscores the pervasive role of propaganda as a primary ideological weapon in Russia's contemporary history.
While the Propaganda Model, formulated by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky, sheds light on systematic distortions in media driven by economic factors, it predominantly focuses on traditional media, neglecting the equally influential realms of music and arts. This course aims to fill this scholarly gap by specifically examining the impact of propaganda on music, media and arts. Our objective is to approach propaganda from a scholarly perspective, identifying core issues within the subject. How does music propaganda function? What are the primary genres and methods of its usage? When is the most opportune time to deploy it? Which actions and strategies are most crucial? Moreover, we will delve into what makes propaganda an effective tool for influencing thought processes. This course seeks to explore uncharted territories in the study of propaganda, shedding light on its nuances within the realm of music and arts. By doing so, we aim to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the subject and its multifaceted influences on society.