Final project - propaganda

As you learned in class, propaganda is any kind of media that tries to manipulate or influence people to change their views on an issue.  Your task for the end of 2^nd semester is to create a piece of propaganda and write an accompanying explanation of your propaganda.  You have several steps to accomplish:

1)      Choose a topic that we have studied: Imperialism, Colonialism, Nigeria, the Congo, World War I, the Russian Revolution, World War II, the Middle East, etc.

2)      Decide who the author is: For example, if you decide to pick the Congo, is your propaganda written from the point of view of Belgium?  Or will it represent the views of the Congolese?

3)      Decide what your message is going to be: What are you trying to convince people of?  If you choose the Congo, your message might be that King Leopold should give the Congolese their independence.  Or it might be set in more recent times, with the message being that electronics companies shouldn’t buy coltan from mines controlled by warlords.

4)      Decide on a type of media: Do you want to make a poster?  A leaflet?  A brochure?  A comic book?  A political cartoon?  Write a speech?  Film a press conference?  Make a commercial? Example: http://youtu.be/jIWaxwyKRtI

5)      Decide what methods you will use to convey your message: Do you want to use negative propaganda (condemning your enemy) or positive propaganda (praising your own people)?  Do you want to use fear of imminent danger to your homeland?  Promote unity?  Dehumanization through animal characteristics?  Slogans?  Symbols?

 6)      Create your propaganda

 7)      Write an accompanying piece explaining your propaganda: This will be approximately 3 pages typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font.  This is not a formal essay – you may use bullet points if you wish.  You must explain the following about your piece of propaganda:

a.       Which topic you chose (and the reasons why you chose it)

b.      Who the author is (and why you chose them)

c.      What your message is (what are you trying to convince the audience to think, and why you chose it)

d.      What methods you chose to use in your propaganda, and why you chose them

e.       How your chosen methods convey your message

f.       How your propaganda piece relates to what we studied in class

Your propaganda and accompanying explanation are due on Monday, June 11