Active Measures: History of Disinformation, Political Warfare and Influence Campaigns

The use of information in conflict is as old as human existence, but today—when entire economies are built around the movement, sorting, and sale of information—the ability for states, corporations, and even some individuals to shape public attitudes, is unprecedented and underappreciated. This lecture explores the history of modern disinformation targeting the American public—from the rise of mass media, through the ideological conflicts of the 20^th century, to the era of social media and precision guided munitions of the mind.

Jim Ludes, Ph.D., is vice president for strategic initiatives at Salve Regina University, as well as executive director of Salve’s Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy. In addition, he is executive producer and co-host of “Story in the Public Square,” an eight-time Telly Award-winning, weekly, public affairs program broadcast on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel as well as on public television stations across the country. At the Pell Center, he co-authored “Shatter the House of Mirrors,” a conference report on Russia’s 2016 intervention in American politics. Over a 30-year career, Jim has worked at the intersection of academia, politics and national security: as legislative assistant for defense and foreign policy to then-Senator John Kerry, as advisor to the presidential campaigns of John Kerry and Barrack Obama, as a leader of the Obama-Biden transition team’s processes for winning Senate confirmation of Department of Defense nominees for the roles of deputy secretary of Defense, under secretary of Defense for Policy, comptroller and general counsel. Jim earned his Ph.D. in history from Georgetown University. He is editor of, and contributor to, “Iraq Uncensored” and co-editor of “Attacking Terrorism” and “Twenty-First Century Proliferation.” His research today focuses on foreign disinformation in American politics.