- Title:
- Propaganda and persuasion in the Cold war: the Canadian Soviet Friendship Society, 1949-1960
- Creator:
- Anderson, Jennifer
- Date Created:
- 2008
- Degree Awarded:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Subjects:
- Cold War World politics 1945-1989
- Geographical Focus:
- Canada USSR
- Supporting Materials:
- n/a
- Description:
- During the early Cold War, thousands of Canadians attended events organized by the Canadian Soviet Friendship Society (CSFS), and subscribed to its publications. Although scholarship on Cold War Canada and the Communist Party of Canada (CPC) has grown, the CSFS led by Dyson Carter from 1949-1960, has received relatively little attention from historians. Moreover, few historians have noted the important role played by the Soviet All-Union Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries (VOKS) in encouraging and supporting the Canadian left. This project looks at the CSFS as a blend of social and political activism, where gender, class, cthnicity, linked communities and ideology had significance. It deals with an example of foreign influence in Canada, as the elaborate pro-Soviet performances staged by the CSFS were part of a larger perception management campaign orchestrated from Moscow. This dissertation is based on archival sources previously unavailable to researchers. In addition, oral history interviews with key players have been used to reveal personal narratives and interpretations of the early Cold War. This combination allows historians an unprecedented view of how some Canadians saw their world, and how they, in turn, were seen by other Canadians and the Soviet authorities. Between 1949 and 1960, the Canadian Soviet Friendship Society aimed its message at an audience of “progressive” leftists in North America, hoping to convince others that the USSR was indeed the epitome of an egalitarian and enlightened State. Attempting to soften, define and redirect the antagonistic narratives of the day, the CSFS story is one of propaganda and persuasion in Cold War Canada.
Source
- Preferred Citation:
- Anderson, Jennifer. 2008. "Propaganda and persuasion in the Cold war: the Canadian Soviet Friendship Society, 1949-1960", Department of History, Carleton University
- Link to this page:
- https://cuhistory.github.io/grads/items/hist_129.html
Rights
- Rights:
- Copyright the author, all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.