Scholar Examines Conceptual Prehistory Of Brainwashing
Wolfgang Behr publishes a 2025 essay, 'Towards a Conceptual Prehistory of "Brainwashing" / xinao 洗腦,' in an edited DeGruyter‑Brill volume (pp. 7–66), examining linguistic, philological and philosophical histories of the term and its practice. He traces religious, physiological and psychiatric manifestations, highlights coercive dimensions linked to the internet, surveillance capitalism and psychoactive substances, and provides a 13‑page bibliography and symposium slides.
Key Points
- 1Analyzes historical and conceptual origins of 'brainwashing' across Chinese and Western philological, religious, and psychiatric sources
- 2Highlights renewed relevance amid internet expansion, surveillance capitalism, psychoactive drugs, and shifting global political orders
- 3Encourages interdisciplinary methods and archival research for scholars and practitioners monitoring coercive persuasion techniques
Scoring Rationale
Interdisciplinary scholarly analysis with reputable publication, but niche historical focus limits immediate practical impact for practitioners.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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