Research impact - Propaganda and persuasion

Karen Baxter
Kent's REF2014 success by University of Kent

A case study submitted to the Research Excellence Framework 2014 demonstrating the impact of the University's research.

As an international authority on propaganda and persuasion, Professor David Welch of the School of History took on the role of historical consultant and on-air commentator for a TV project entitled Love, Hate and Propaganda. Commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the project produced three series, The Second World War, The Cold War, and The War on Terror, broadcast in five countries.

Professor Welch’s expertise shaped the content by suggesting that propaganda is a means of persuasion practised by governments of all ideological leanings – including democracies. The series aimed to give the audience an understanding of propaganda as an all-persuasive element in public discourse and not simply a method of mass brainwashing.

Professor Welch has also acted as historical consultant for the exhibition at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, ‘State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda’, and as co-curator and historical consultant for the British Library exhibition, ‘Propaganda: Power and Persuasion’ for which he wrote the accompanying book.

The Research Excellence Framework 2014 showed that Kent ranks 17th in the UK for research intensity, has world-leading research in all subjects and that 97% of our research is deemed to be of international quality.

Contributing to the University’s REF success were the number of our world class publications, the number of research active staff and the demonstrable impact our research has made to the sciences and to economic, social and cultural understanding.