propaganda

Books worth checking out

 
  Propaganda is an immense topic, and this site just begins to scratch the surface. If you're interested in learning more, local bookstores and the public library are your best bet. Many of the most interesting books on this topic are out of print, so you'll have to rummage around in used bookstores to find them.

Some of my favorite resources are listed below. These items are available for sale through the Amazon Affiliate Program. If you purchase a book by following one of these links, the propaganda site will receive a commission from the sale. All money will be applied toward the set-up costs, with the surplus donated to the Internet Moving Image Archive.


 
  Propaganda: The formation of men's attitudes   Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes

In this landmark work, the French philosopher Jacques Ellul argues that all modern propaganda is scientific in nature.

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    Propaganda and Persuasion

Victoria O' Donnell and Garth Jowett have recently revised their comprehensive survey of propaganda. Carefully distinguishing propaganda from everyday persuasion, this book is notable for its attention to propaganda in ancient times.

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  Coercion: Why we listen to what they say   Coercion: Why We Listen to What 'They' Say

Though Douglas Rushkoff does not focus exclusively on propaganda, he offers an insightful explanation of strategies used by advertisers, politicians, and the salesperson at your local department store.

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  Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion   Age of Propaganda

Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson summarize five decades of social psychology research in terms that are fully accessible to a lay audience. Witty prose and generous use of illustrations make this a smooth read.

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  War Without Mercy   War Without Mercy

John Dower offers a searching look at propaganda distributed by the United States and Japan during World War II. This amazing book continues to be a staple of reading lists at colleges across the country.

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  Extreme Islam: Anti-American Propaganda of Muslim Fundamentalism   Extreme Islam: Anti-American Propaganda of Muslim Fundamentalism

Adam Parfrey provides an eclectic collection of propaganda generated by Islamic Fundamentalists during the past fifty years. The book would have benefitted from further critical commentary, but offers valuable material that is difficult to locate in Western libraries.

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