A lively survey of Cuba's past and present, and a "must-have" companion to any Cuba travel guide "Cuba has the same effect on American administrations that the full moon has on werewolves." -- Wayne Smith, former head of US Interests Section in Havana "Cuba for the Misinformed is extraordinarily educational and enlightening." - Midwest Book Review For more than 50 years, the US government and mass media have misrepresented, hidden or ignored the truth about Cuba. In Cuba for the Misinformed, Mick Winter brings together a fascinating array of facts and anecdotes about Cuba's history, its government, its people, and the actions that the United States has taken against the well-being of those people. Citizens of other countries do know many of these facts. That is why every year at the United Nations almost every country on the planet (the 2012 vote was 188-3) demands that the United States end its embargo of Cuba. As you read this book, you will recognize that for more than fifty years something very interesting has been happening just ninety miles offshore from the United States. You may not agree with everything-- or even anything-- that has happened since the Cuban revolution, but you will likely admit that this small island country of eleven million people has had a global effect that reaches far beyond its size. This book presents information that is little-known (particularly to most Americans) about Cuba and its relationship with the United States. It offers this information clearly, succinctly and in a style that's enjoyable to read, and backs it up with helpful footnotes and links to resources. Whether you're a student, educator or journalist; planning a trip to Cuba (this book is an essential companion to your Cuba tour book); anticipating future business dealings; or simply want to know more, you'll find Cuba for the Misinformeda treasure of interesting--and often fascinating--information, facts and anecdotes about Cuba and its people.

How has the US media constructed our understanding of Cuba?

Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Havana's secondary schools, Cuban Youth and Revolutionary Values is a remarkable ethnography, charting the government's attempts to transform a future generation of citizens. While Cuba's high literacy rate is often lauded, the little-known dropout rates among teenagers receive less scrutiny. In vivid, succinct reporting, educational anthropologist Denise Blum now shares her findings regarding this overlooked aspect of the Castro legacy. Despite the fact that primary-school enrollment rates exceed those of the United States, the reverse is true for the crucial years between elementary school and college. After providing a history of Fidel Castro's educational revolution begun in 1953, Denise Blum delivers a close examination of the effects of the program, which was designed to produce a society motivated by benevolence rather than materialism. Exploring pioneering pedagogy, the notion of civic education, and the rural components of the program, Cuban Youth and Revolutionary Values brims with surprising findings about one of the most intriguing social experiments in recent history.

This entertaining and educational book applies the tools of critical thinking to identify the common features and trends among misinformation campaigns. With illustrations drawn from conspiracy theorists and deniers of every stripe, the author teaches readers how rumors are started, and the rhetorical techniques and logical fallacies often found in misleading or outright false claims. What distinguishes real conspiracies from conspiracy theories, real science from pseudoscience, and actual history from bogus accounts purporting to be history? How does one evaluate the credibility of rumors and quotes or judge the soundness of legal arguments advanced by tax deniers? Readers will learn how to make these critical distinctions and also how to spot "evidence" that has been manufactured or manipulated in some way to create a false impression. At a time when average citizens are bombarded with false information every day, this entertaining book will prove to be not only a great read but also an indispensable resource.

This book shows how disinformation spread by partisan organizations and media platforms undermines institutional legitimacy on which authoritative information depends.

This book is about how people in power use language to generate and perpetuate misunderstandings.