Understanding Public Relations: Theory, Culture and Society

This book argues that public relations is not merely an organizational tool, but a powerful influence on social and political life. From carefully considered communication by multinational corporations, to government campaigns that manage public opinion, to the self-promotion of celebrities via social media, public relations is central to our individual and collective lives. Understanding Public Relations introduces a socio-cultural approach to public relations as a way of analysing the growing importance of public relations in its social, cultural and political contexts. Encouraging a deeper and more critical understanding of its influence on society, Lee Edwards: Explores public relations in relation to contemporary debates around promotional culture, discourse, globalisation, democracy and power Considers how public relations frames vital discussions of race, gender, class and ethics Brings theory to life with a range of case studies, including YouTube vlogging, the global fair trade movement and the 2016 EU referendum in the UK Both accessible and provocative, this is an invaluable resource for students and researchers exploring public relations theory, critical public relations, strategic communication and promotional culture.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Starting points: Defining socio-cultural research in public relations Chapter 2: Public relations as promotion: The production and circulation of meaning Chapter 3: Public relations, discourse and power Chapter 4: A political economy of public relations Chapter 5: Deliberative democracy and public relations Chapter 6: Public relations and the public sphere Chapter 7: Public Relations and globalisation Chapter 8: Public relations as an occupational field: The professional project Chapter 9: Race and Class in / and PR Chapter 10: Feminist public relations: Performativity, Black feminism, postfeminism Chapter 11: Ethics, Public Relations and Society Chapter 12: Conclusion: Public relations beyond the organisation

About the Author :
Lee Edwards is Professor of Strategic Communications and Public Engagement in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is particularly interested in the relationship between strategic communications and inequalities, social justice, democracy, and media literacy. She has published a wide range of articles, books, chapters and reports on topics including deliberative engagement in media policymaking, media literacy, public relations as a cultural intermediary, diversity in public relations, and public relations and democracy. 

Review :
Understanding Public Relations pushes the genre of the public relations text into new territory. Lee Edwards looks beyond organisational boundaries to vividly illustrate and explore the public relations occupation as a social and cultural practice. A must-read for any serious PR student or scholar, Edwards’ socio-cultural approach presents an important and timely challenge to the dominance of functionalism in the field of public relations. Edwards thinks deeply about the world we live in, delivering thoughtful, accessible prose on PR’s role in society. Ideal for PR students, scholars and practitioners. Lee Edwards’ important book offers a crucial and unique perspective on public relations by emphasizing society and culture as a sense-making context for PR. With chapters exploring the dynamics of public relations within cultural contexts of race, class, feminism, political economy and ethics, Edwards rightly insists we think about the power relations that authorize contemporary forms of promotion. One of the most comprehensive and coherent explorations of the role of public relations in society to date. A must-read for anyone who is serious about understanding its power and its possibilities.