We need a fresh perspective on propaganda. The old strategies for combating misinformation are no longer effective. Simply offering fact-checks isn’t enough—those ensnared by propaganda aren’t searching for facts. They’re searching for something deeper: identity, belonging, and meaning.

This is the central argument of a new book by Peter Pomerantsev, a renowned scholar of propaganda and information warfare. "How to Win an Information War" tells the story of British journalist Sefton Delmer, who developed innovative techniques to counter Nazi propaganda during World War II. Peter explores Delmer’s legacy in hopes of uncovering lessons for today. Perhaps we, too, can learn something from both of them.

Book: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/peter-pomerantsev/how-to-win-an-information-war/9781541774728/

Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.

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UkraineWorld is run by Internews Ukraine, one of the country’s leading media NGOs.

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial, as we increasingly rely on crowdfunding. Even a small monthly contribution of $5 or $10 can make a meaningful difference.

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The podcast episode is created by Internews Ukraine as part of the project “Strengthening Truth, Transparency and Democracy to Counter Disinformation”, supported by the Government of Canada.

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CONTENTS:

00:00:00 — What if fact-checks don’t work anymore?

0:01:52 — He, who fooled Hitler. Meet Sefton Delmer

00:05:28 — Why did we forget those who understand what propaganda is?

00:07:05 — Why propaganda keeps coming back

00:09:59 — Why did the Nazis win those who lost their identity?

00:11:42 — Are you wearing the mask or is it glued to your face?

00:13:57 — Think you're immune? That’s when propaganda hits

00:16:29 — To beat propaganda, you have to be vulnerable to it

00:18:55 — The real battle isn’t between freedom and unfreedom, but about what kind of “us” we build?

00:22:50 — Delmer’s radio war

00:25:53 — Weaponizing corruption: Delmer’s strategy to weaken Nazi loyalty

00:30:41 — “We know you better than they do”

00:33:28 — Tuning in = waking up: breaking the Nazi spell with masquerade

00:35:38 — What makes Kremlin elites panic? Not war - but losing control

00:39:39 — How to break Russian support for war?

00:44:24 — Forget regime change - exploit fear of losing grip

00:47:44 — Angry? Frustrated? That’s where good media begins

00:50:02 — Do I want to die for this? The question Delmer planted in Nazi minds

00:51:00 — Propaganda, trauma, and the fight for independent thought