Weekly theme – Propaganda

Michelle Karunaratne – ICD Program Coordinator

This week we will explore how art can and has been used as propaganda by nation states and regimes. Propaganda has been used for promoting agendas, ideologies and to change the public perceptions. The use of propaganda demonstrates how arts, culture and the myth of access can be used for cynical purposes.

Propaganda is the embodiment of the opposite of the goals of cultural diplomacy, as it promotes stereotypes and sometimes inaccurate views about other nationalities and cultures. Nevertheless it is important to discuss this topic in order to create awareness about how art has been used as propaganda to note the fact that art and culture promotion can be used for positive as well as negative aspects.

We will discuss how art has been used as propaganda used in WWII, Vietnam and Eastern Europe by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union to promote their agendas and impose their ideologies upon people. We hope that you will follow us and contribute to the discussion.