The Centre

In recent years the study of propaganda has assumed an increasing importance both in the academic world and in the mass-media.

As electorates and audiences have become more sophisticated, they have begun to question the use of propaganda in history and its role in contemporary society. However, propaganda has become a word which can be interpreted in a number of different ways: propaganda has come to mean different things to different people. Despite the controversy over definition, the subject continues to grow and attract widespread interest.

The study of war and propaganda is well established at Kent. The Centre is interested in different types of conflict, from conventional trench warfare and geopolitical standoffs to guerilla and terrorist tactics and civil defence initiations. It also considers the application of technology in warfare, the impact of the media on public opinion, along with the increasing importance of the 'homefront' in contemporary warfare.

The Centre was set up in 1994 by the University of Kent in order to foster the growth and expansion of propaganda study. In 1995 Kent became the first British institution to offer an MA programme in Propaganda and Persuasion in History. Due to the arrival of new staff with new specialisms the course was revamped and in September 2007 the taught MA programme was relaunched as the MA in War, Media and Society.

Currently, the Centre holds a large collection of written, audio and visual propaganda material and is actively engaged in acquiring further material with the intention of developing its own distinctive archive. The University of Kent boasts the unique resources of the Centre for the Study of Cartoons and Caricature and the University has been designated a European Document Centre.

The Centre is committed to a systematic study of propaganda on an interdisciplinary basis and in its widest possible historical context and aims to promote a greater understanding of war and propaganda theory and practice, and to become a major focus for postgraduate study and research.

For further information and enquiries please contact the Director of the Centre, Professor David Welch.