Propaganda is often viewed as a twentieth-century phenomenon, closely associated with the era of totalitarian regimes and mass media. Yet the rhetoric that justified European expansion in the late 19th-century was no less sophisticated or influential.
This Research Seminar talk focuses on the Berlin Conference (1884-1885) as a foundational moment in the development of modern propaganda. Regarded as a key stage in the imperial partition of Africa, the Conference has been studied primarily from the point of view of diplomacy, economics and international law. However, the propagandist dimension of this event remains underexplored. Through a comparative study of the French Livres Jaunes, contemporary press coverage, and international diplomatic archives, this presentation will show how imperial powers, and particularly France, mobilized ideals of civilization, progress, and moral responsibility, to reframe imperial domination as a service to humanity. Rather than being centrally orchestrated, colonial propaganda at this time emerged through a decentralized network of diplomats, explorers, journalists, and political actors. By applying Harold Lasswell’s model of communication, the presentation will examine how these narratives were constructed, who shaped and disseminated them, which audiences they targeted, and what effects they sought to produce.
Wednesday, 21 May 2025
14.00 - 15.00
C²DH Open Space
