Propaganda, Russia, & The World Informat

This course is a highly current guide to the international information war, why propaganda and disinformation work, and how they can be fought. After an introduction to the philosophy of information – how people process it and whether there can in fact be multiple truths – the course looks in depth at the disinformation tactics that state and private actors use to advance their goals. The course then considers a broad range of techniques to combat false information – including the ethics and effectiveness of overt and covert counter-disinformation campaigns conducted by Western countries. The course draws heavily on information operations by Russia, but also considers other disinformation actors – as well as the impact of disinformation on the US, Europe, Africa and Latin America. It concludes with a discussion of the future of information and disinformation, with an emphasis on the promise and dangers of artificial intelligence.