JJB 287: Campaigns and Propaganda, winter semester 2019

Lecturer: Dr. Anna Shavit, anna.shavit@fsv.cuni.cz

Room: H 112

Credits: 3 ECTS

Date: Thursday 12:30 – 13.50

Knowledge Acquisition: Students will be required to keep up with the required readings, to attend class sessions, engage in web research, etc. to deepen their knowledge base.

Requirements: To complete the course student must participate in team presentations and pass the written exam. The performance is awarded 40 points and a written test with 60 points. The performance and active engagement in the class represent 40 percent of the final score, and the exam represents 60 percent.

Assignments: Final test, team presentation, active participation in the classes.

Course Objectives:

The course focuses on modern propaganda, persuasion and their role in electoral campaigns. We will analyze propaganda, persuasion, and campaign from the theoretical, historical and practical approach. Students will also learn how to analyze the contemporary electoral techniques and distinguish among propaganda and persuasion. Concurrently it will also explain the key concepts and terms. The further aim is to understand how campaigning and modern communication is influencing the political process. The objective of the course is to provide students with a detailed and comprehensive knowledge of the propaganda techniques and modern form of campaigning style. Therefore, we will talk about the information war too, fake news and other topics. We will distinguish between "modern and democratic campaigning style" and bring awareness of how propaganda has permeated the political and daily life and consequently influenced campaigning (in former Czechoslovakia, in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland, Hungary, and other countries). The course language is English.

Team Presentation - structure:

• We will specify topics of the presentation during the introductory session at the beginning of the semester, but generally, you should pick a typical significant example of campaigning with the historical, political or cultural background or example of propaganda.

• Must be delivered in the class, you will be assigned to specific dates

• Length 15-20 minutes (we will time it)

• PowerPoint (Keynote etc.) presentation

• Maximum points 40 (awarded to each member of the team)

The presentation must have the following structure:

1) Introduction, which must include clear information about, analyzed topic (electoral poster, historical event, and piece of literature, movie, and music – cultural piece), a student should include historical context and information about sources (country, places, etc.)

2) Information about the content (fictional or realistic), reproduction of the story, who is the enemy, target, etc.

3) Clear explanation about campaigning, communication or propaganda techniques, what is the message structure, is it or is not propagandistic

4) Subjective critique (your own opinion - precisely formulated, source-based)

5) Conclusion – consolidate your argumentation

Grading:

A 100-91

B 90- 81

C 80 - 71

D 70 -61

E 60 - 55

F 54 and less

Course structure:

1. Week October 3 Introductory session, the course objectives, literature (creation of teams)

2. Week October 10 The Art of Propaganda I. – Theory and Practices (theoretical framework), Persuasion vs. Propaganda, the techniques – external and internal factors, the content, distribution channels, framing, timing. The motivation, emotion, the message balance, etc., examples from history

3. Week October 17 The Art of Propaganda II. - Propaganda and Persuasion (Public Relations vs. Propaganda), examples from history

4. Week October 24 The Art of Propaganda III. – Modern Propaganda Workshop session – How to know what is propaganda?

5. Week October 31 Reading Week

6. Week November 7 Fake News, Information War - does it exist, what is it? Is the new form of propaganda?

7. Week November 14 Modern Campaigning vs. Propaganda? What is political marketing, how to run a campaign, how to prepare a campaign team, electoral staff?

8. Week November 21 Campaigning and Advertisement I., ads and elections, examples, discussion, the role of posters, videos, etc. (from Communism to Americanization).

9. Week November 28 Students final presentations, discussion, feedback

10. Week December 5 Students final presentations, discussion, feedback

11. Week December 12 Students final presentations, discussion, feedback

12. Week December 19 First term of the final exam

Required literature:

Pratkanis, A., Aronson, E. (2007): Age of Propaganda. New York: Henry Holt, pp. 1-39, 115-157.

Johnson-Cartee, K., Copeland, Gary A. (2004): Strategic Political Communication. Toronto: Roman&Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

O’Shaughnessy, N. J. (2004): Politics and Propaganda. Weapons of Mass Seduction. Manchester: Manchester University Press, pp. 13-69.

Johnson-Cartee, Karen S. - Copeland, Gary A. 2004. Strategic political communication: rethinking social influence, persuasion, and propaganda. Lanham: LinkRowman & Littlefield, pp. 137-192.

Recommended literature:

Aronson, Elliot. 1988. The social animal. NY: W. H. Freeman and Company.

Childs, Harwood L. 1965. Public opinion: nature, formation, and role. New Jersey: D. Van Nostrand company.

Kamalipour, Yahya R. - Snow, Nancy (eds.). 2004. War, media, and propaganda: a global perspective. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.

Ross, Sheryl Tuttle. 2002. Understanding Propaganda: The Epistemic Merit Model and Its Application to Art. Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 16-30.

Rushkoff, Douglas. 2002. Manipulativní nátlak: (proč tak snadno uposlechneme druhé?). Hradec Králové: Konfrontace.

Taylor, Richard. 1998. Film propaganda: Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. London, NY: I. B. Tauris.