Renee HobbsProfessor of Communication StudiesDirector, Media Education LabHarrington School of Communication and MediaUniversity of Rhode Island USATWITTER: @reneehobbs

Mind Over Media:

Analyzing Contemporary

Propaganda

BRUSSELS 10-11 March 16

State of DeceptionExhibit at the National Library of Tunisia

Why Teach about the Past, Present and Future of Propaganda?

GoalsDemonstrate three lessons about historical and

contemporary propaganda that can be used with children, teens and adults

1. Recognize key features of propaganda2. Analyze and discuss benefits and harms of

contemporary propaganda3. Appreciate how to use digital tools to guide student

learning about global propaganda

Activity #1: Working with a partner, try to define these words:

• Propaganda• Persuasion• Human Rights• Genocide

What is Propaganda?

• Propaganda appears in a variety of forms• Propaganda is strategic and intentional• Propaganda aims to influence attitudes, opinions and

behaviors• Propaganda can be beneficial or harmful• Propaganda may use truth, half-truths or lies• To be successful, propaganda taps into our deepest

values, fears, hopes and dreams • Propaganda uses any means to accomplish its goal

Key Features of Propaganda

ACTIVATE STRONG EMOTIONS

ATTACK OPPONENTS

SIMPLIFY INFORMATION & IDEAS

RESPOND TO AUDIENCE NEEDS

ACTIVITY #2: Work with a partner to review these examples of Nazi propaganda and identify which key features are used.

Where is Propaganda Found?

Journalism & Public Relations

Advertising

Government

Education

Entertainment

Advocacy

www.mindovermedia.tv

www.mindovermedia.eu

Rate Examples

Explain Your Reasoning

Cro

wd

sou

rced

Co

nte

nt

Custom Classroom Galleries

http://propaganda.mediaeducationlab.com/browse/terrorism

1. Defining Propaganda. Students examine different definitions of propaganda and explore how to find propaganda in news, advertising, public relations, entertainment, advocacy and education.

2. Propaganda Techniques. Students identify four different techniques of propaganda found in advocacy and entertainment by analyzing the “KONY 2012” and “The Interview” films.

3. Propaganda in Context. Students learn about Voice of America’s global video news releases and use role-playing and research activities to explore the importance of context in critically analyzing contemporary propaganda.

4. Understanding Viral Media. Students learn about viral media and marketing and consider how audiences participate in the marketing process by deciding what to share through social media.

5. Sponsored Content as Propaganda. Students learn about sponsored content to consider conditions under which it may be fair or unfair.

6. The Ethics of Propaganda. Students analyze case studies of controversial advertising and Hollywood entertainment, considering the potential short and long-term consequences from the point of view of creators, audiences, and society.

ACTIVITY #3. Working with a partner, explore the Mind Over Media website and view, rate and discuss 3 examples of contemporary propaganda. After rating, use the comment tool to offer a comment on one example. The website is: www.mindovermedia.eu

Propaganda can be Beneficial

Activists create propaganda to raise awareness, evoke strong emotions, and inspire people to action.

Propaganda can be Harmful

By activating strong emotion, activists can simplify complex issues in ways that encourage people to act without critical thinking.

Digital Media Literacy Smartphone

Analyze Propaganda

Techniques of Propaganda

ACTIVATE STRONG EMOTIONS

ATTACK OPPONENTS

SIMPLIFY INFORMATION & IDEAS

RESPOND TO AUDIENCE NEEDS

In Considering Whether Propaganda is Beneficial or Harmful, Consider:

Message: What is the nature of the information and ideas being expressed?

Point of View: Whose perspectives do we value in assessing benefits, risks or harms?

Techniques: What symbols and rhetorical strategies are used to attract attention and activate emotional response? What makes them effective?

Means of Communication & Format: How did the message reach people and what form does it take?

Environment: Where, when and how may people have encountered the message?

Audience Receptivity: How may people think and feel about the message and how free they are to accept or reject it?

CO

NTEX

T

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT PROPAGANDA

Propaganda can be beneficial or harmful

Propaganda doesn’t always work: its effectiveness depends on a number of factors including the context, means of communication, and techniques used

Encountering different interpretations of contemporary propaganda cultivates multi-perspectival thinking and promotes respect for diverse opinions and civic dialogue as part of the democratic process

Strong Feelings

Taking Action

Strong Feelings

Taking Action

THINKING& REASONING

Why is it important to teach about propaganda in Tunisia?

Can you introduce the lessons we demonstrated today to your students? Why or why not?

Studying the topic of propaganda ignites intellectual curiosity. What questions do you have or what would you like to learn more about?

FOR REFLECTION

Literacy is the sharing of meaning through symbols

Media Literacy as a Civic Competency

Media education is an essential step in the long march towards a truly participatory democracy, and the democratization of our institutions. Widespread media literacy is essential if all citizens are to wield power, make rational decisions, become effective change agents,and have an effective involvement with the media.

-Len Masterman, 1985

Questioning All Forms of Authority

Media literacy, because it emphasizes a critique of textual authority, invites students to identify the cultural codes that structure an author’s work, understand how these codes function as partof a social system, and disrupt the text through alternative interpretations. In learning to critically read media messages, citizens are developing the abilities togather accurate, relevant information about their society and to question authority (both textual and, by implication, institutional).

- Renee Hobbs, 1998

Agents of Social Change

When people have digital and media literacy competencies, they recognize personal, corporate and political agendas and are empowered to speak out on behalf of the missing voices and omitted perspectives in our communities. By identifying and attempting to solve problems, people use their powerful voices and their rights under law to improve the worldaround them.

-Renee Hobbs, 2010

www.MediaEducationLab.com

We are all stakeholders in digital and media literacy

CONTACT INFORMATION:Renee Hobbs Professor of Communication StudiesDirector, Media Education LabHarrington School of Communication & MediaUniversity of Rhode Island USAEmail: hobbs@uri.eduTwitter: @reneehobbs

LEARN MOREWeb: www.mediaeducationlab.com

REFERENCES

Hobbs, R. & McGee, S. (2014). Teaching about propaganda: An examination of the historical roots of media literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education 6(2), 56 - 67.

Hobbs, R. (2013). The blurring of art, journalism and advocacy: Confronting 21st century propaganda in a world of online journalism. I/S: A Journal of Law and Policy for the Information Society 8(3), 625 - 638.