There’s a long history of propaganda as it relates to social, economic and political change. From war posters and revolutionary slogans to modern-day campaigns and futuristic dystopian novels, writers have used words and images to control, indoctrinate, challenge and inspire others. In recent years, the spread of fake news, Internet memes and viral videos on social media have perpetuated ideas that can distort the truth and sew seeds of social upheaval. In this 3-day residency, students will explore the techniques of persuasive and pervasive messages, to learn to identify and analyze propaganda, and then write original works that harness the power of persuasive language.
Artist Background
Michael Beadle is a poet, author and teaching artist with a passion for language, writing and literature. His goal is to encourage, inspire and challenge writers to express themselves so they can become more confident with writing and be lifelong learners and creative problem solvers. Since 1999, he’s taught thousands of students in poetry and creative writing workshops across the state and performed poetry at schools, libraries, churches and festivals. He’s the author of several poetry books, including What Makes a Giraffe Laugh?, Does Your Goblin Have a Problem?, and Beasts of Eden. His poems have appeared in various journals and anthologies including Broad River Review, Kakalak and River Heron Review. In addition to a 15-year career as a journalist, he’s worked as a high school English teacher, magazine editor and freelance writer. Beadle has served as poet-in-residence at the NC Zoo, emcee for the NC Poetry Out Loud state finals, A+ Schools Fellow for staff development training, student poetry contest coordinator for the NC Poetry Society, and visiting instructor at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, NC.
Search Criteria
- Program Type: Workshop/Residency
- Discipline: Literary
- Grade Level: Middle
- Cultural Context: African-American, Asian, European
- Accepts bookings in Johnston County
