Propaganda: Ideas, Discourses and Its Legitimization

Propaganda is subjective information primarily used to influence an audience and further a political agenda. In China, it has a long history but has been most effective in modern society. What exactly is propaganda? Why does it exist and why does the public tolerate it? The book answers these questions by tracing back to the emergence and development of integrated propaganda and scientific propaganda. On this basis it focuses on the emergence of propaganda concept in China, the establishment of Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China’s propaganda concept, intellectuals and propaganda, the debate on the propaganda concept in China after 1949 as well as the emergence of Propaganda 3.0 that coordinates integrated propaganda and scientific propaganda.
Setting propaganda in the framework of modernity, the book explains how various groups have legitimatized propaganda since the 20th century. From a reasonable and neutral standpoint, the author describes the confrontation among various propaganda concepts and discourses, displaying a panorama of the mutual conflicts between nations and individuals, control and freedom, ideas and bodies. Not only will scholars and students studying journalism and communication find this book interesting, but professionals working in journalism, advertising, public relations and publicity will also find it engaging and enlightening.

Liu Hailong, PhD, is a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication of Renmin University of China, Beijing. His research interests include political communication, the history of Chinese communication research and intellectual history of communication.