Propaganda and Persuasion

By: Dannagal G. Young, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Dannagal G. Young

Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Persuasion is a central element of our daily lives. Whether it is a politician angling for a vote, a business advertising a product, a parent asking a child to get dressed, or a friend suggesting a certain restaurant for dinner, we are constantly trying to persuade others to our point of view, and experiencing others’ attempts to persuade us.

Persuasion—along with its cousins: propaganda, manipulation, and coercion—has been part of the human experience for thousands of years. The 20th and 21st centuries, however, have seen the rise of mass media and an explosion of digital messaging, making it critical for savvy citizens today to understand the tools and science of persuasion.

Propaganda and Persuasion gives you a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore the powerful, fascinating, and at times dangerous world of influence. Taught by Professor Dannagal G. Young of the University of Delaware, these 12 eye-opening lectures arm you with the tools of effective communication and the insight to understand—and perhaps resist—persuasion in all its forms.

As you will discover, the domains of persuasion and propaganda include politics, advertising, relationships, public health, social media, and more. Professor Young walks you through each of these, beginning with a historical account of persuasion. Here you will:

• Go back to the time of Aristotle to learn about two types of persuasion, the rational “logos” (the head) and the emotional “pathos” (the heart), and the overlap between the two.

• Witness the rise of the concept of “the masses” alongside newspaper and radio, as well as the development of the “publicity man” and the field of public relations.

• Explore the dark side of propaganda as it was perfected during the Third Reich.

• See how post-war America opened new opportunities for the advertising “Mad Men” of Madison Avenue.

• Consider new challenges in our era of digital communications and social media.

Successfully navigating our contemporary world means understanding persuasion in speech, media, messaging, imagery, and more. Propaganda and Persuasion is an invaluable resource for your life as a citizen, colleague, consumer, and human being at large.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 The Great Courses (P)2023 The Teaching Company, LLC

Critical learning resource

Critical learning opportunity to reflect on how humans influence and are influenced. Will be listening again in the future.

A superb guide that could hardly be more relevant now

Dannagal Young combines deep expertise with excellent teaching ability, presenting substantive, meaningful material clearly and engagingly.

The implications about our current politics are hard to miss, but unavoidable. The people seeking to manipulate us now are not only following the lead of master propagandists of the past, some boast about it.

The lecturer's own leftwing bias

Is a somewhat good lecture series but the lecturer can't help her own leftwing bias and intellectual snobbery. Orange man bad. Russia Russia Russia. Totally embrasses herself by claiming inflation of covid deaths and covid leaking from a lab are just insane conspiracy theories believed by ignorant. Also wierdly claims all popularist movements are ring wing, racist and authoritarian despite her own definition that they pit elites against common folks. This sought of stuff really detracts from the information given and credibility of the lecturer. Without it, I would have highly rated this series.

good course minus the progressive slant

The course is good and well-delivered. The only sore spot is the "progressive" slant surfacing at times. Whether such bias is the author's or merely reflects the sorry state of academia today, I have no idea. I learnt quite a few new, interesting things. There are odd moments, like characterizing Germany *in WWI* as "Axis power" that make you wonder where did she get her facts.

More DEI (DIE)

Started with equity, power dynamics between people, and class dynamics. Then stated the lectures would move into politics. So not what I was looking for

She uses the lecture to propagate her own left-wing propaganda.

I do enjoy a good lecture, but this wasn’t one. I stopped listening the minute she started with her anti—white racist bias and her attack on anyone on the right. She is well aware that it is not only white Republicans who dislike mass illegal immigration, it is also Hispanics, blacks, and Asians. Here we have, yet another liberal elite who knows better than you, when, in fact, she shows herself to be, another propagandist for the left