Chapter 1 Exercises: What Is Propaganda?

Individual Exercises

Exercise 1.1 — Definition Comparison (†) Using the four scholarly definitions surveyed in this chapter (Lasswell, Bernays, Ellul, Jowett & O'Donnell), construct a simple table with the following columns: Emphasizes intent?, Requires falseness?, Applies to structural/unconscious propaganda?, Politically neutral? Fill in Yes/No/Partial for each definition. Then write a paragraph explaining which definition you find most analytically useful, and why.

Exercise 1.2 — Apply the Working Definition Find three pieces of communication from your own media environment — one that you are confident is propaganda under the working definition, one that you are confident is not propaganda, and one that you are genuinely uncertain about. For each, apply the five-question Action Checklist from this chapter and write one paragraph per piece explaining your conclusion.

Exercise 1.3 — Etymology Trace The chapter traces the word "propaganda" from 1622 to the present. Using the Historical Timeline as a starting point, write a 300-word narrative explaining how the word's meaning changed over time and what historical events drove those changes. Do not simply list the timeline entries — construct an argument about why the word acquired its current connotations.

Exercise 1.4 — The Bernays Analysis (†) Reread the primary source analysis of Bernays's 1928 opening paragraph carefully. Then find a second passage from Propaganda (the full text is in the public domain and freely available) and apply the five-part anatomical framework yourself: source, message content, emotional register, implicit audience, strategic omission. Submit your analysis in 400–500 words.

Exercise 1.5 — Inoculation Campaign: Community Profile Complete your first Inoculation Campaign deliverable: a one-page community profile as described in the chapter's Inoculation Campaign section. Include: community name and description, key characteristics, primary media channels, and initial observations about propaganda threats. This profile will be revised and expanded throughout the course.

Group Exercises

Exercise 1.6 — Definition Debate In groups of four, assign each member one of the four scholarly definitions. Each member argues that their definition is the most analytically useful for the purposes of this course. After five minutes of argument, the group must reach a consensus definition — either adopting one of the four or combining elements. Present your consensus definition and your reasoning to the class.

Exercise 1.7 — The Classification Challenge Your instructor will distribute six examples of communication (e.g., a government public health announcement, a corporate press release, a political advertisement, a newspaper editorial, a nonprofit advocacy campaign, a historical wartime poster). In groups, classify each as: (a) clearly propaganda, (b) clearly not propaganda, (c) borderline. For borderline cases, identify specifically which element of the working definition is most contested. Compare classifications across groups.

Exercise 1.8 — Structural vs. Intentional Propaganda Divide the class into two groups: one defending the position that intent is necessary for propaganda (Position A from the Debate Framework), one defending the position that it is not (Position B). Run a structured debate, then debrief: which arguments were hardest to counter? What would need to be true for the other side to be correct?

Writing Prompts

Short Response (300–400 words): Bernays argued that propaganda is a necessary feature of democratic society. In what sense could this argument be correct? In what sense is it dangerous? Take a position and defend it.

Essay (700–900 words): The chapter distinguishes propaganda from education, advertising, public relations, and journalism. Choose one of these categories and argue for or against the claim that the boundary between it and propaganda is analytically meaningful. Use specific examples to support your argument.