Category:Public Relations
Psychological/sociological Fundamentals:
Economist Tyler Cowen loves a good story. But in this intriguing talk from TED, he asks us to step away from thinking of our lives -- and our messy, complicated irrational world -- in terms of a simple narrative. (video)
General works on corporate Public Relations
Weaponized Lies: How to Think Critically in the Post-Truth Era by Daniel J. Levitin updated version of A field guide to lies : critical thinking in the information age McH Stacks BC177 .L486 2016 .
The Century of the Self is a 2002 British television documentary series by Adam Curtis. It focuses on how the work of Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud, and Edward Bernays influenced the way corporations and governments have analyzed, dealt with, and controlled people. video) ***
The Influencing Machine: on propaganda and media manipulation (includes history) by Brooke Gladstone (NPR), Josh Neufeld. 2015 excerpt, on use in college ( audio), audio interview;graphic novel.
Making Babies Scared of Bunnies: The Roots of Fear in Advertising 3/15.
In Kill the Messenger McH Stacks P95.8 .A76 2011 Maria Armoudian asks, What role do the media have in creating the conditions for atrocities such as occurred in Rwanda? Conversely, can the media be used to preserve democracy and safeguard the human rights of all citizens in a diverse society? How will the media, now global in scope, affect the fate of the planet itself, including climate? review, video talk author interview 8/11.
Trust Us, We're Experts: How Industry Manipulates Science and Gambles with Your Future by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber excerpts
Toxic Sludge is Good for Youby John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton Common Courage Press, 1995 excerpts video online video preview
Creating the Corporate Soul: The Rise of Public Relations and Corporate Imagery in American Big Business by Roland Marchand (Long excerpt from Ch 1).
Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health by David Michaels. Tobacco playbook was taken up for glonal warming: Merchants of Doubt Trailer see global warming "debate" 3/15.
NPR story (Audio) on how products pretend to be green, a practice dubbed green-washing.
Earth for Sale: Reclaiming Ecology in the Age of Corporate Greenwash Brian Tokar
Astroturf is a term applied to industry-created front groups that pretend to be legitimate grassroots organizations. Rick Berman, AKA Dr Evil, has created a number of these groups, including one that attempted to discredit UCSC alum Chuck Savitt, co-founder of the most important publishers of green books, Island Press. 60 Minutes video. Here's a fun short video of people protesting this practice.
PR!: A Social History of Spin By Stuart Ewen. Basic Books, 1998 UCSC McHenry HM263 .E849 1996
Greenpeace study: "Exxon's Weapons of Mass Deception" Excerpt.
Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, by Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman is a classic study of how the media works. excellent video). Summary of the basic model.
Global Warming See also Environmental Science and Skeptical Challenges
Merchants of Doubt Trailer see global warming "debate" 3/15.
Fox News Attacks Global Warming from Brave New Films (partisan)
Grist editorial/overview on history of fear, uncertainty and denial tactics.
== Tactics == Greenwashing and Astroturf
The Greenpeace Book on Greenwash 1992 downloadable pdf.
NPR story on how products pretend to be green. (Audio).
Stop Greenwash.org from Greenpeace. Greenwashing discussed in Earthbeat Radio segment (audio).
Greenwash Watch on Guardian UK newspaper.
Brief article on greenwash with links
Big Box stores greenwash editorial
Chevron makes fake 60 Minutes segment
"Astroturf" is the creation of a fake grassroots organization. Here's an example of one by coal industry using stock photos. In a new documentary Australian filmmaker Taki Oldham went undercover to investigate astroturfing (trailer)(warning: could be interpreted, presumably, as partisan).
Third Party technique defined by one public relations (PR) executive as, "putting your words in someone else's mouth." This can involve think tanks or front groups/astroturfing.
See PRwatch article on corporations altering Wikipedia including Chevron deleting the entire article on bio-diesel, and Exxon rewriting the history of the Valdez oil spill.
Green candy bar wrapper 3/13.
Mirror Public Relations page
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