Literature review assignment assignment (approx. 1000 words)

1. Introduction
Propaganda is one of the most powerful weapons in the XXl century. With the appearance of
social media and the development of technologies, propaganda was able to spread quickly and
widely around the world. Now it can influence public opinion, behavior, and attitudes on a variety
of issues. Currently it is essential to recognise propaganda and analyse information that we get.
The idea, motivated by C. Mull and M. Wallin (2013) to describe what propaganda is, offered the
criteria for the identification of propaganda, and for the analysis evaluation of argumentation used
in propaganda.

2. Literature review
As we know, the role of propaganda is essential. For example, it can participate in formation of
public opinion. Propaganda can be used to form a certain opinion in society about political,
social, economic and other issues. For instance, it is a good way to create a positive image of the
government and its representatives. This can include a propaganda campaign aimed at
highlighting the positive qualities of the rulers and their achievements. Moreover, propaganda
practices to cover up negative aspects of government performance. This can include ignoring the
negative, or even distorting information to hide the negative consequences of decisions made.
According to (Mull et al., 2013), for the majority of people propaganda conjures up thoughts of
bad actions and evil manipulation of information. While this may sometimes be true, propaganda
in its simplest form is the selective presentation of information in such a way as to promote a
particular train of thought. While propaganda can sometimes be an extremely powerful tool of
persuasion, it is by no means always effective and is not necessarily a deceptive tool used
exclusively by those with malicious intentions. However, propaganda is better categorized as a
sub-set of public diplomacy, rather than being equivalent to public diplomacy.

One more prominent researcher A. Jewett(1940) suggested two main types of propaganda:
1. Black and white propaganda is a type of propaganda where the world is presented as bipolar there
is only a "right" and a "wrong" side. This type of propaganda is often used to promote
hatred and manipulate people's emotions.
2. Informal propaganda is a type of propaganda where messages are communicated informally,
such as through social networks, discussions among friends or communities. The purpose of this
type of propaganda is to influence people's opinions by using their personal connections and
interactions with others.
If we speak about identification of propaganda and analyse it, we should mention A. Jewett (1940)
who used other vital important techniques such as content analysis, discourse analysis and
critical thinking. He searched for patterns in the language and images used in propaganda, and
examined the underlying messages and values conveyed. To detect propaganda, Jewett
practised usage of a variety of methods, such as analyzing media content, tracking the spread of
ideas and messages across different platforms, and observing the effects of propaganda on
individuals and groups. The author also studied the history of propaganda and its applying in
various contexts, including political campaigns, advertising and war. 

Overall, Jewett's methods have been interdisciplinary, drawing on knowledge from such fields as
communication studies, psychology, sociology and political science. The aim of his work was to
promote critical thinking and awareness of propaganda and to provide tools and strategies to
counter its effects.

Regarding another survey of propaganda scrutiny A. McClung Lee(1945) argued that it is
important to train people to think critically and analyze information to recognize propaganda
techniques and not be influenced by them. In general, author admitted that propaganda can be a
dangerous and destructive force in the society, and that it is important to combat it through
education, critical thinking and free public speaking.

Even these days, with a big amount of sources, сertain countries are suffering from propaganda
imposed on them by the government. L. Aron(2015) discovered that Russian Federation using
more than half billion dollars per year. Their channel RT is aimed not to sell what could be called
Literature review assignment assignment (approx. 1000 words)


the "Russian brand," as to devalue notions of democratic transparency and accountability, to
undermine trust in objective reporting, and littering the news with half-truths and quarter-truths.

Unfortunately, the big percentage of Russian population absolutely follow the thought that has
been imposed on them by the government thanks to propaganda.

In conclusion, my survey shows that propaganda is an extremely dangerous weapon, that can
impose a thought, stir up con
fl
ict where there is none, make people believe in a lie. It is important
to have your own knowledge and opinion in order not to succumb to it. Before you start to believe
in information, you should check all recourses, be attentive and sustainable because propaganda
could be very persistent and repeat over and over again to convince people that it is right.

However, the available research has some limitations, such as using obsolete and quantitative
data. The research usefulness has been severely decreased because of this. To sum up, everyone
can choose for himself what to believe, but it is important that a person does not live in the world
of illusions that propaganda has created for him.

4. Resources:


Mull, C., Wallin, M., 2013. Propaganda:: A Tool of Strategic Influence. American Security Project .


Walton, D., 1997. What Is Propaganda, and What Exactly Is Wrong with It. Public Affairs Quarterly , Oct.,
1997, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct., 1997), pp. 383-413


Aron, L., 2015. Russian Propaganda:: Ways and Means. American Enterprise Institute.


Jewett, A., 1940. Detecting and Analyzing Propaganda. The English Journal , Feb., 1940, Vol. 29, No. 2
(Feb., 1940), pp. 105-115


Lee, McClung A., 1945. The Analysis of Propaganda: A Clinical Summary. American Journal of Sociology ,
Sep., 1945, Vol. 51, No. 2 (Sep., 1945), pp. 126- 135


Literature review assignment assignment (approx. 1000 words)


Literature review assignment assignment (approx. 1000 words)