Lies, Fiction, and Manipulation in Propaganda

February 12, 2026 - February 13, 2026
Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Campus Ciutadella Universitat Pompeu Favra
Barcelona
Spain

Sponsor(s):

  • BIAP Barcelona Institute of Analytic Philosophy
  • Universitat de Barcelona
  • María de Maeztu grant CEX2021-001169-M (funded by MICIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033)
  • PID2023-150569NB-I00: New Paths in the Philosophy of Hybrid Representation (funded by MICIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033

Speakers:

Universitat Pompeu Fabra
University of Bern
(unaffiliated)
(unaffiliated)
University of Vienna
University of Vienna
Universitat de Barcelona
Uppsala University
Universita' degli Studi di Pavia
(unaffiliated)

Organisers:

Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Universitat de Barcelona

Topic areas

Talks at this conference

Add a talk

Details

Propaganda is a form of mass communication put in the service of political goals or agents. This is a neutral description. An additional question is whether propaganda is essentially manipulative. Social scientists and philosophers have offered different accounts of what propaganda is, of how and why it works. There is however no agreement about whether it is intrinsically bad (or defective), although it is perhaps significant that some of the greatest propagandists of history have defended its value. There are also disagreements about whether it is effective, and if so, to what extent. Must populations mobilized by propaganda be gullible? Does propaganda necessarily involve lies? If not, what is it that mobilizes the targets of propagandistic messages? What role do narratives and fictions play in propaganda and its power? The workshop brings together academics who research on propaganda, information warfare, and conspiracy theories.

Supporting material

Add supporting material (slides, programs, etc.)

Reminders

Registration

Yes

Tomorrow, 9:00am CET

RSVP below

Who is attending?

1 person is attending:

Universitat de Barcelona

See all

Will you attend this event?


Let us know so we can notify you of any change of plan.

RSVPing on PhilEvents is not sufficient to register for this event.