Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O'Donnell
Sage (1999)

Reviewer: Adam Robison
Arkansas State University

Jowett and O'Donnell finally capture the true distinction between two rhetorical worlds in Propaganda and Persuasion. When the first edition of Propaganda and Persuasion was published in 1986, the authors' hope was that the study of propaganda would be integrated more into mainstream communication studies. Both authors were "intrigued with how poorly propaganda had fared in recent years as a part of general communication studies." Scholars have argued the study of propaganda, being so broad in scope, is simply too difficult to cover in a thorough manner.

The scope of their book is vast to say the least. Ancient Greek philosopher, Plato, and his admonishment of rhetoric, the influence of the media, the fear of propaganda during World War I, propaganda during the Cold War, and the Gulf War are just some of the areas focused on. Several theoretical views are examined as well, including Dependency Theory, Uses and Gratifications Theory, Social Judgement Theory, and the Theory of Exposure Learning. Jowett and O'Donnell do not restrict their studies of propaganda and persuasion to any particular confines; their studies are as vast as their topic.

Jowett and O'Donnell point out some of the perceived differences between propaganda and persuasion, then conclude that propaganda is not a separate entity, but merely a subcategory of persuasion. While to the two terms are often used interchangeably, Jowett and O'Donnell point out some of the keys components of each by exploring the evolutionary track of propaganda and explaining some basic principles of persuasion. In order to successfully accomplish this, the authors target three specific objectives: (1) to provide a concise examination of propaganda and persuasion, (2) to examine the role of propaganda as an aspect of communication studies, and (3) to analyze propaganda as part of social, religious, and political systems throughout history and contemporary times. It is through these three objectives that the ambiguity surrounding the distinction between propaganda and persuasion is lifted.

Propaganda and Persuasion also deals with the fact that due to its usage throughout our country's history, propaganda is a term that has carried a negative connotation, while persuasion has not. Persuasion is said to be based on "debate, discussion, and careful consideration of options" to discover "better solutions for complex problems," whereas "propaganda results in the manipulation of the mob by the elite." It is this commonly accepted notion that Jowett and O'Donnell analyze, then attempt to place their analysis in a proper communication context.

When considering the religious and social aspects of propaganda, the authors focus on historical data to illustrate the existence of propaganda throughout history. The rise of Christianity, the Crusades, and the Reformation and Counter-Reformation are discussed to make clear the propagandistic aspects of religion change over time and are subject to variations, depending on a variety of social and political factors at any point in time. One social aspect examined was that of the technology of printing and paper making in the 18th century increasing the efficiency of disseminating information to increasingly wider audiences. These are just a few historical examples used by Jowett and O'Donnell to assemble the mosaic of propaganda throughout our civilization.

The authors both agree that the quest for knowledge about propaganda did not end with writing this book, as they realized the more knowledge possessed pertaining to propaganda, the more they discover what remains to be learned. Jowett and O'Donnell successfully utilize an extremely analytical approach to Propaganda and Persuasion. By continually examining several arguments and aspects of each particular principle throughout their book, they succeed in lending a degree of clarity and thoroughness to the study of propaganda; a component several scholars have argued lacking in this area of study.