School of Communication Hosts Lecture “Dark Persuasion”
Scholar and historian Joel Dimsdale, MD, will discuss the ‘dark side’ of persuasive messages and their impacts on diverse health issues at the School’s third annual lecture
The Center for Communication, Health & the Public Good conducts basic research to generate new insights, knowledge, and discoveries about the fundamental importance of human communication when managing wellness, illness, disease, and disorders.
by Gabriela Romero
October 20, 2021
The SDSU and San Diego communities have the opportunity to address a critical health topic in contemporary society: persuasive messages.
“Dark Persuasion” is a lecture and discussion sponsored by the Center for Communication, Health, & the Public Good, in the SDSU School of Communication. UCSD Professor Joel Dimsdale will initiate discussion on shared interests and create possible collaborations based on his new book, “Dark Persuasion: A History of Brainwashing from Pavlov to Social Media.”
“Dark Persuasion” will take place at Scripps Cottage, SDSU Campus on Friday, Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. RSVP by Oct. 19, 2021 to: Montana Baker (montanabaker1@aol.com). Masks are required for the lecture and an outdoor reception will follow.
Dimsdale’s book traces the evolution of brainwashing from its beginnings in torture and religious conversion into the age of neuroscience and social media. When Pavlov introduced scientific approaches, his research was enthusiastically supported by Lenin and Stalin, setting the stage for major breakthroughs in tools for social, political, and religious control.
Director of the School of Communication Heather Canary looks forward to “this Center event bringing together faculty, students, and community affiliates to discuss important intersections of social media, persuasion, and health. We will gather at the beautiful Scripps Cottage with an informal reception outside afterwards for people to engage in lively discussions.”
Canary continues, “the Center is a forum for bringing San Diego area researchers, students, and practitioners together to forge productive partnerships that benefit a variety of communities. I’m so glad we can again do that in person here at SDSU.”
Director of the Center and School of Communication Professor Beach says the Center, “hosts a wide variety of speakers and events to spotlight current scholarship, transdisciplinary collaborations, and community interests, so this third annual lecture is vital to ongoing research and teaching within the School of Communication and across campus.”
The primary goal of the Center for Communication, Health & the Public Good is to conduct basic research generating new insights, knowledge, and discoveries about the fundamental importance of human communication when managing wellness, illness, disease, and disorders. Research findings are translated through the Center to develop sustainable programs promoting creative university and community collaborations designed to advance the public good.
The “Dark Persuasion” lecture is co-sponsored by the SDSU School of Communication, SoCal (Society of Communication & Leadership), Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society, and the Health Communication Undergraduate Organization.
RSVP by October 19, 2021 to Montana Baker (montanabaker1@aol.com). For further information contact wbeach@sdsu.edu. Learn more about Dimsdale on his website.
The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.
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