The Propaganda Machine Behind the Controversy Over Climate Science

Can You Spot the Lie in This Title?

Maxwell, Richard
Miller, Toby

¹City University of New York, NY, USA
²Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
³Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
⁴Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia
⁵Loughborough University in London, UK

Richard Maxwell, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Dept. Office: G Building 100, Queens, NY 11367-1597, USA. Email: [email protected]

American Behavioral Scientist 60(3):p 288-304, March 2016. | DOI: 10.1177/0002764215613405

The essay examines various communication strategies for advocating acceptance of climate science in the face of psychological and ideological impediments. It surveys some key literature, offers case studies of Lego, Shell, Greenpeace, Edelman, and public relations, and culminates with a hortatory logic based on the recent Papal encyclical. The focus is on issues pertaining to the United States but with examples and ideas from elsewhere.