Communicating propaganda in times of crisis : investigation of the who propaganda techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract EN

When dealing with propaganda analysis, researchers commonly draw on lee and lee's (1939) propaganda techniques to understand the tactics employed by the propagandist to influence public opinion or mould it towards a specific purpose.

these techniques were quoted in a book titled “the fine art of propaganda” published by the institute for propaganda analysis in 1937.

aiming to teach the Americans how to recognize the seven common propaganda devices, the institute managed to create a list of propaganda techniques that have become standard in mass media and continued to be used to a large extent in the modern times.

the list contains these seven techniques : name calling, glittering generalities, transfer, testimonial, plain folks, card stacking, and band wagon.

inspired by the work of the IPA, this study provides a content analysis of the propaganda techniques used by the world health organization during the global health crisis of COVID-19 and aims at identifying and analysing those seven devices as manifest in the selected websites articulating the WHO.

for the purpose of this article, the subject of propaganda techniques is worth exploring because it proves very significant since it clarifies how the propagandist and propaganda work to win its cause during global crisis.