The Center for Immigration Rights Communication

The Center for Immigration Rights Communication

If you read this blog, you know the terms public relations, communication and propaganda are synonymous. All forms of public persuasion were once called “propaganda”. The negative connotations of government and military propaganda programs early in the 20th century resulted in the late Edward Bernays proposing the use of “public relations” as an alternative. Today, public relations has evolved into “communication” specialists.
These terms are synonymous and describe the methods and programs used to persuade the public to adopt someone’s agenda.
What would you think if you found a university with a “Center for Immigration Rights Communication” or “Center for Anti-Abortion  Communication”?
I am guessing you would think that sounds a lot like a propaganda operation.

I was surprised to learn that George Mason University operates a “Center for Climate Change Communication” with dozens of professors and graduate students. To see the problem, change the name to “Center for Climate Change Propaganda”.
GMU is not alone. Yale University has a similar “Yale Program on Climate Change Communication“. Columbia University has its “The Psychology of Climate Change Communication” guide describing specific propaganda techniques to use when discussing climate change.
These programs do not employ climate scientists or “hard science” scientists. They employ psychologists, sociologists, “communication scientists”, political scientists, and others whose research and expertise is described in bios as manipulating people to achieve desired outcomes. (Go through the “About” pages to review the backgrounds of those involved.)
Again, to put this in context, what you would think if a University operated a “Center for Anti-Abortion  Communication” or “Center for Immigration Rights Communication”?
This comes across as an Orwellian Thought Police operation.

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