Origins of Mass Communications Research During the American Cold War (Sociocultural, Political, and Historical Studies in Education)

I read this book shortly after it was published and have recommended it others since then. I'm not sure why I did not write a review of it before now. Talk about an unknown story! In journalism schools, where the majority of mass communication research is done, there is no tradition of talking about how and why the US government was secretly funding research about "propaganda" and related subjects in journalism/communication departments/schools. You will find no reference to this fact in any of the many books written over the past 25 years by journalism professors about the history of mass communication research, history of journalism schools, history of journalism education, etc. It's not they were trying to hide it. They simply did know about it and it never occurred to them to find out. After Glander's book, one would think that it cannot be ignored, except that it is still unknown by most and ignored by almost all the rest. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly's reviewer predicted that this book would be widely read and widely discussed by journalism professors. Fifteen years later, it is crystal clear that it was not even widely read and likely never will be.

If you've heard Chris Hedges speak or read his most recent book, he starts with the Creel Commission in 1917 also called the Committee on Public Information (CPI). Noam Chomsky references it in one of his recent books too. This is written from the perspective of an educational historian, and continues C. Wright Mills theme around a mass society. Well worth the time, to gain the historical foundation of the origin, perspectives, and actors of US propaganda. Interesting that resisting Fascism was a big part of the rationale, given our current circumstances.

One of the best book about the origins of communication research. A must for every serious communication student!