Between Perception and Deception: Eisenstein’s Montage in Political Narratives and Warfare

• In Event: Instruments and Influences of Russian Propaganda I: Weaponizing the Narrative in Cinema, Television, and Mass Media

Abstract

The paper investigates Sergei Eisenstein’s montage theory, especially the “montage of attractions,” and its significant influence in the ideological narratives of mass media related to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. It discusses how montage has evolved into a crucial instrument for propagating national and cultural identities via propaganda. The paper argues that the incorporation of Eisenstein’s montage theory into modern propaganda not only reflects its historical cinematic use but also shapes current ideological disputes.

Author

• Olha Tytarenko, Yale U