MC3549: War, Politics and Propaganda II

School Cardiff School of Journalism, Media & Cult'l Stud
Department Code JOMEC
Module Code MC3549
External Subject Code 100444
Number of Credits 20
Level L5
Language of Delivery English
Module Leader Dr John Jewell
Semester Autumn Semester
Academic Year 2016/7

Outline Description of Module

The first part of this course examines: the origins, organisation and techniques of propaganda used by one party states in the twentieth
century. It also aims to give students a sound grasp of the history, organisation and techniques of propaganda and the ability to analyse
and critically evaluate different forms of the practice of propaganda. The second part of the course is concerned with how wars have been
reported and discusses the reasons why so much war reporting has been little more than “war propaganda”.

On completion of the module a student should be able to

On successful completion of the module a student will be able to:
At the end of the course students will be expected to have an understanding of the history and determinants of propaganda in war and
politics, the basic techniques and skills of propaganda and the impact of propaganda on the political process in times of war and peace.

How the module will be delivered

Module consists of 11x 3hrs sessions delivered weekly, plus 10x50 minutes seminars also delivered weekly.
Students will also receive personal feedback on all written pieces of work.

Skills that will be practised and developed

Skills that will be practised and developed
Students will complete the course with a specific knowledge of the art of propaganda and government in the 20th Century. They will
understand that the communication of ideas is central to effective government. They will understand that the roots and development of
political communication must be studied if we are to understand the political systems we have today.
Students will become familiar with the patterns and processes or war reporting in the 20th century. They will understand that while the
journalist seeks (in most cases) to report, governments seek to present the best possible angle. Students will understand the techniques
of propaganda used in both war and peace times.
Intellectual Skills:
Students will develop historical perspectives. Become able to analyse press, radio and broadcast media in terms of political
communication. Become able to recognise sources of information. Students will also understand the practicalities of journalism in times of
crises.
Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:
Students will be able to recognise forms of communication. To recognise patterns of language. They will conduct historical investigations
and look beyond official rhetoric
Transferable Skills:
The module will encourage the students to research historically and to present their findings before seminar groups. This would be
beneficial across a range of modules. Similarly, knowledge of the roots of political communication can only be of use in a range of other
modules.

How the module will be assessed

Written Exam Percentage Contribution: 50%

Coursework: 50%

Assessment Breakdown

Type % Title Duration(hrs)
Exam - Autumn Semester 50 War, Politics And Propaganda Ii 2
Written Assessment 50 War, Politics And Propaganda Ii N/A

Syllabus content

What Is Propaganda?
The Pioneers Of Modern Political Propaganda – Nazi Germany.
The Pioneers Of Modern Political Propaganda 11 – The Soviet Union.
The Cold War
Reporting and Propaganda In Wartime – A History
Their Finest Hour – Total War In Britain 1939 – 1945
The Vietnam War And Its Legacy
War In The Gulf – Desert Storm, Propaganda And Information 1990 - 1991.
The War On Terrorism
Removing Gadaffi – Nato And The Propaganda Of The West.
21st Century Conflict

Essential Reading and Resource List

Allan, S and Barbie Zelizer. (2004) Reporting War: Journalism in Wartime. London: Routledge
Altheide, D (2009) Terror post 9/11 and the Media. New York: Peter Laing.
Bennett, D. (2013) Digital Media and Reporting Conflict. London: Routledge.
Carruthers, S. (1999) The Media at War: Communication and Conflict in the 20th Century. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Chomsky, N. (1992) Deterring Democracy. London: Vintage.
Curtis, M. (2003) Web of Deceit: Britain’s Real Role in the World. London: Vintage.
Edwards, D and David Cromwell. (2006) Guardians of Power: The Myth of the Liberal Media. London: Pluto.
Edwards, D and David Cromwell (2009) Newspeak in the 21st Century. London: Pluto
Haridakis, Paul M (et al) (2009) War and the Media: Essays on News Reporting and Popular Culture. Ohio: Mcfarland.
Hawthorn, J (Ed) (1987) Propaganda: Persuasion and Polemic. London: Arnold.
Jowett, Garth S. and Victoria O’Donnell (1999) Propaganda and Persuasion. Sage: London.
Jackall, R (Ed) (1995) Propaganda. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Kamalipour, Yahya R and Nancy Snow.(2004) War, Media and Propaganda: A Global Perspective. Lanham, MD: Rowman and
Littlefield.
Knightley, P. (2003) The First Casualty: The War Correspondent as Hero and Myth – Maker from the Crimea to Gulf War II.
London: Andre Deutsch.
Lewis. J. (2005) The Role of Media and Culture in Global Terror and Political Violence. London: Pluto.
Matheson, D and Stuart Allan. (2009) Digital War Reporting. Cambridge: Polity.
Messinger, G (1992) British Propaganda and the State in the First World War. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Moorcraft, P and Phillip M.Taylor (2008) Shooting the Messenger: The Political Impact of War Reporting. Washington: Potomac.
Orwell, G. (1949) Nineteen Eighty Four. Harmondsworth: Penguin in association with Martin Secker & Warburg.
O’Shaughnessy, N (2004) Politics and Propaganda: Weapons of Mass Seduction. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Pilger, J. (2006) Freedom Next Time. London: Bantam.
Rodgers, J (2012) Reporting Conflict. London: Palgrave.
Schechter, D. (2003) Media Wars: News at a Time of Terror. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.
Sieb, P. (2006) Beyond the Front Lines: How the News Media Cover a World Shaped by War. Basingstoke: Macmillan
Sylvester, Judith L and Suzanne Huffman (2005) Reporting from the Front: The Media and the Military. Lanham: Rowman and
Littlefield.
Snow, N (2010) Propaganda, Inc.: Selling America's Culture to the World. New York: Seven Stories.
Szanto, A (2007) What Orwell Didn't Know : Propaganda and the new Face of American Politics. New York: Public Affairs
Taylor, P. (2002) British Propaganda in the Twentieth Century. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Tumber, H and Frank Webster. (2006) Journalists Under Fire: Information War and Journalistic Practices. London: Sage.
Wilke, J (1998) Propaganda in the 20th Century: Contributions to its History. Creskill: NJ: Hampton Press.
Young, P and Phillip Jesser. (1997) The Media and the Military: From the Crimea to Desert Storm. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Background Reading and Resource List

FAIR http://fair.org/
FAIR is a media watch group offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986. As an anti-censorship
organization it exposes neglected news stories and defends working journalists when they are muzzled. As a progressive group, FAIR
believes that structural reform is ultimately needed to break up the dominant media conglomerates, establish independent public
broadcasting and promote strong non-profit sources of information.
Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/
Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. It scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure
those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as
part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all.
Index on Censorship http://www.indexoncensorship.org/
Index on Censorship is an international organisation that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression. Index uses a unique
combination of journalism, campaigning and advocacy to defend freedom of expression for those facing censorship and repression,
including journalists, writers, social media users, bloggers, artists, politicians, scientists, academics, activists and citizens.
Information Clearing House http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/
News and opinion you won’t find on FOX or CNN.
Phil Taylor’s Papers http://media.leeds.ac.uk/papers/vf016ddb.html
Philip M. Taylor was an internationally renowned scholar of international communications and propaganda at the University of Leeds. This
excellent site (do not neglect it) collects his finest works and has links to many, many other articles of great use and quality.
Media Lens http://www.medialens.org/
Since 2001, Media Lens has been describing how mainstream newspapers and broadcasters operate as a propaganda system for the
elite interests that dominate modern society. The costs of their disinformation in terms of human and animal suffering, and environmental
breakdown, are incalculable. It shows how news and commentary are ‘filtered’ by the media’s profit-orientation, by its dependence on
advertisers, parent companies, wealthy owners and official news sources.
The National Archive http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/propaganda.htm
This guide indicates the significant National Archives record series for researching British propaganda from 1914 to 1980, and it
provides useful background information and suggestions for further reading.
The New Internationalist workers’ co-operative (NI) http://www.newint.org
exists to report on the issues of world poverty and inequality; to focus attention on the unjust relationship between the powerful and
powerless worldwide; to debate and campaign for the radical changes necessary to meet the basic needs of all; and to bring to life the
people, the ideas and the action in the fight for global justice.
OpenDemocracy http://www.opendemocracy.net
Publishes high quality news analysis, debates and blogs about the world and the way we govern ourselves.
PR Watch http://www.prwatch.org/
In late 2008, the Centre for Media and Democracy stopped printing its quarterly paper summary of reporting, known as PR Watch, which
had been launched in 1994--before online communications became the dominant way people chose to receive this news. Since then,
CMD has focused on online publications, featuring original investigative reporting and analysis of the public relations industry and spin.
Spinwatch http://www.spinwatch.org/
Is an independent non-profit making organisation which monitors the role of public relations and spin in contemporary society. Spinwatch
was founded in 2004 and promotes greater understanding of the role of PR, propaganda and lobbying through its website
(http://www.spinwatch.org) and through other outreach and campaigning activities, including media appearances, book and pamphlet
writing, 'Spinwalks' and investigative reporting.
Z Mag https://zcomm.org/zmag/
In the words of John Pilger, is ‘one of the great newspapers of the internet, print, and video. You get more in one visit than hours of
thumbing through voluminous newspaper voices of rapacious power. The range of good journalism, writing and scholarship on ZCom is
astonishing: from the pen of the well-known to eyewitness reporting of 'citizen journalists


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