Propaganda and Mass Persuasion: A Historical Encyclopedia

From Booklist
This work has been designed as an easily readable survey of propaganda and its history from 1500 to the present. An extensive introduction defines propaganda and traces its origins, concluding with a discussion of the importance of propaganda in the twentieth century and the increasing prominence given to it. The introduction also notes that, although propaganda often serves to "dictate what one should think," it is not necessarily evil.

The encyclopedia contains more than 250 entries, from Abolitionism/antislavery movement to Zionism. Many of the entries concern individuals who had any connection with propaganda, such as Hitler, Osama bin Laden, and several U.S. presidents. Various countries of the world and their connection to propaganda are also discussed. Other entries cover events (Gulf War, Reformation and Counter-Reformation ), institutions (CNN, KGB), documents and artifacts (Triumph of the Will, Uncle Tom's Cabin ), movements (Civil Rights Movement, Environmentalism ), and techniques (Advertising, Censorship, Television). Each entry contains a definition of the topic and its connection to propaganda and is enhanced by cross-references and references to source material. The index is quite extensive.

This specialized encyclopedia does a good job of exploring the different uses of propaganda. It would be worthwhile purchase for academic and large public libraries and would also be accessible and interesting to high-school students. RBB
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Product Description
A truly International, authoritative A-Z guide to five centuries of propaganda, in both war time and peace time, which covers key moments, techniques, concepts and some of the most influential propagandists in history. What were the secrets of both Hitler's and Stalin's success? Why did so many Americans approve of Senator Joseph McCarthy? How did FDR maintain his image with the electorate? The answers to these questions can be found in the realm of propaganda: the art of mass political persuasion. This fascinating survey provides a comprehensive introduction to propaganda, its changing nature, its practitioners, and its impact on the past five centuries of world history. Written by leading experts, it covers the masters of the art from Goebbels to Gandhi and examines enormously influential works of persuasion, such as Uncle Tom's Cabin, techniques such as films and posters, and key concepts like black propaganda and brainwashing. Case studies reveal the role of mass persuasion during the Reformation, the American Revolution, the Vietnam War, and today's War on Terrorism. Regional studies cover propaganda superpowers, such as Russia, China, and the United States as well as the little-known propaganda campaigns in Southeast Asia, Ireland, and Scandinavia, In short, the book traces the evolution of propaganda from the era of printed handbills to computer fakery and profiles such brilliant practitioners of the art as the Third Reich's film director, Leni Riefenstahl, and the cartoonist, Thomas Nast, whose works helped to bring the notorious Boss Tweed to justice.