SCMS Conference
Chicago, IL, USA
March 6-10, 2013

Only a Movie?: Motion Picture and Propaganda

„In short, cinema is propaganda“, producer David Puttnam stated in the late 1980s. In fact, motion pictures such as Hollywood movies or TV productions, while often considered to be mere entertainment, are the most important products of popular culture and portray powerful images and representations of reality to a huge audience. Therefore, fictional movies have often served as a powerful mass medium for propaganda. And of course, the most effective propaganda is often that which we do not realize is propaganda.

This panel tries to further the understanding of the role of fictional films in propaganda. We invite proposals to any topic investigating the relationship of motion picture and propaganda such as case studies, general analyses or theoretical papers. Potential topics include but are not limited to

• How the government inserts propaganda in motion pictures
• How film-makers or producers portray their worldviews and value systems in their movies
• How movies are exploited for propaganda purposes by the government or private groups or movements
• Cold War films or terrorism movies

Please send an abstract and a brief biography to Adrian Hänni (adrianh@gmx.ch) by August 12, 2012. Selections will be announced by August 15, 2012.