Agnotology is the study of culturally induced ignorance or doubt, particularly the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data. There’s an interesting comparison with epidemiology (the study of how we know): agnotology is the study of why we do not know, recognising that it could be more than ignorance, indeed it could be an “outcome of a cultural and political struggle”.
Here’s an example of the practice from the old country:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C1d4onZsyw
Horrible.