NYU Press Propaganda: 8 (Main Trends of the Modern World)

About the Author Robert Jackallis Wilmott Professor of Sociology and Social Thought at Williams College. His most recent book is Moral Mazes: The World of Corporate Managers. Product Description This volume traces the origins, ethos, and workings of modern propaganda, which now permeates all institutions in our society. Scholars such as C. Wright Mills, Walter Lippmann, and Hans Speier here explore the social and institutional groundwork of modern propaganda. The book then examines the axial age of propaganda, from the Great War through the Cold War, focusing on key propaganda organizations, such as the Committee on Public Information, the Nazi propaganda machine, and the group of Hollywood directors that produced propaganda films for the armed services during the Second World War. This section also details the wizardry of the master Nazi propagandist, Joseph Goebbels. Finally, the volume examines the ubiquity of propaganda in contemporary society, focusing on bureaucratic propaganda, advertising, public relations, and politics and language. Review "These evangelical innovators are household names, thanks in large part to their multimedia know-how, but they preach a conservative message--often regarded as antiquated. Most important, their ministries supply existential fulfillment to existential demands. This book (especially the bibliographic essay "Theory of Religious Economy") will most appeal to scholars and students. However, curious readers will enjoy it as well. Highly recommended."-"Library Journal"," is a clearly written and accessible book. It raises theoretical issues and offers colorful and descriptive analysis of each leader without getting lost in the minutiae... I find their explanation for the success of these evangelical innovators convincing and especially applicable to the present state of American culture and evangelicalism specifically. makes a descriptive contribution to the supply-side/religious economies perspective on the success of religion in America."-Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion,"[P]rovides useful background about popular religious figures whose names may be familiar but whose ministries are often misunderstood, especially in the academic study of religion. The text complicates popular notions of evangelicalism as it tries to account for evangelicalism's broad appeal."-Pneuma,"The value of the book lies in its descriptive detail of five mega-church leaders, giving the reader a feel for the broader evangelical landscape and offering numerous textual references along the way. Given its brevity and accessible narrative style, this book would make excellent reading for an undergraduate introduction to American evangelical religion. Students will be impressed with the tremendous influence of these evangelical 'superstars' and the book will pique interest in the study and critique of American religion. Additionally, scholars will appreciate the very helpful bibliographic essay that neatly documents the steady growth of research in the theory of religious economy, which essentially began with Peter Berger's (1967)."-Studies in Religion / Sciences Religieuses,"What I cannot help but wonder is whether and how this archetype [that of successful evangelical leaders in America] is applicable to other religions in America, or to successful brands of Christianity outside of the United States. In this sense, the book's methodology and theoretical positioning is potentially groundbreaking in the broader field of religious studies. While it is recommended to the interested and informed general reader, and to students of Christianity and of contemporary religion in America, the book's theoretical strength makes it a valuable read for students and scholars of contemporary popular religion more widely."-Journal of Religion and Culture, From the Back Cover The series works in the classical tradition of social theory. In this view, theory is the historically informed fra