HST 120 Propagada: An Historical Examination

3 Credit(s) W-I

This course examines the history and development of propaganda from the eighteenth century to today. Among the topics it will explore are defining propaganda, forms of propaganda, the relationship between propaganda and war, the impact of modern mass society and mass media on propaganda, theories of propaganda, and responses to propaganda. These topics will be examined through case studies that contextualize propaganda within the historical moment in which it was produced, negotiated, and consumed. In its examination of persuasive communication, the course will take an interdisciplinary approach engaging historical, rhetorical, and genre analysis. Students will read and write about a wide array of propaganda: visual, written, material, and audio primary sources. As a first level composition course, students will gain an introduction to the foundational knowledge, literacies, and composing strategies that will prepare them to write across the disciplines, in the workplace, and in their local and global communities. Three lecture hours per week.