Propaganda as Dramatic Narrative

This book responds to changing views of the disinformation crisis, seeking to complement data-based approaches with a concentrated focus on narrative and story. Social media have given a new dimension to public involvement in these, but television and cinema lead the way. If lies and disinformation are the arsenal in a propaganda war, story and dramatization are the weaponry, and gaining advantage is all about the design and impact of the weapons. Twisted plot lines, arcs of suspense, motivated actors: these have so much more destructive power against human intelligence than specific falsehoods. The chapters focus on prominent narrative influences in the political arena, illustrating how the dynamics of public communication draw on traditions of fantasy, myth, plotting, performance and dramaturgy. Attention is paid to the ideologies and theoretical paradigms that underpin these imaginative constructions and drive them towards electoral goals. In the geopolitical maelstrom of the 21st century, we are citizens of the world in a new way, and our opinions, collectively, count. Sharper awareness of why and how we participate in the spread of imaginative manipulation is urgently needed.

Jane R. Goodall is Emeritus Professor with the Writing and Society Research Centre at Western Sydney University. She has a diverse track record as a writer and commentator on the history and politics of cultural change.