Identity propaganda

Racial narratives and disinformation

Bibliographic Data

ID12656243
AuthorsMadhavi Reddi (0000-0002-6326-3364, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, USA, corresponding author), Rachel Kuo (0000-0002-6918-8916, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, USA), Daniel Krei (0000-0003-2533-195X, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, USA)
Year2021
Volume25
Issue8
Pages2201-2218
Publication date2021-07-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNew Media & Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-4448 • E-ISSN: 1461-7315
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/14614448211029293
OpenAlexW3185632169
LanguageEN
Citations received50
References cited56

This article develops the concept of “identity propaganda,” or narratives that strategically target and exploit identity-based differences in accord with pre-existing power structures to maintain hegemonic social orders. In proposing and developing the concept of identity propaganda, we especially aim to help researchers find new insights into their data on misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda by outlining a framework for unpacking layers of historical power relations embedded in the content they analyze. We focus on three forms of identity propaganda: othering narratives that alienate and marginalize non-white or non-dominant groups; essentializing narratives that create generalizing tropes of marginalized groups; and authenticating narratives that call upon people to prove or undermine their claims to be part of certain groups. We demonstrate the utility of this framework through our analysis of identity propaganda around Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2020 US presidential election

Aesthetics · Disinformation · Hegemony · Identity (music · Linguistics · Literature · Media studies · Misinformation · Narrative · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Presidential system · Social media · Sociology · Unpacking · Gender Studies · Law · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Rhetoric and Communication Studies · Social Media and Politics

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