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2015 | Book

Introduction Read chapter Read first chapter

Perspectives on Public Relations Historiography and Historical Theorization

Other Voices

Editor: Tom Watson

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan UK

Book Series : National Perspectives on the Development of Public Relations

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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About this book

The National Perspectives on the Development of Public Relations: Other Voices series is the first to offer an authentic world-wide view of the history of public relations. It will feature six books, five of which will cover continental and regional groups. This last book in the series focuses on historiographical and theoretical approaches.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter
Introduction
Abstract
In this sixth and final volume in the National Perspectives on the Development of Public Relations: Other Voices series, the focus is on historiography and theorization of the history of public relations. In the five chapters, leading PR historians explore aspects of historiography in essays that express personal views. They have reflected on the five preceding books of national histories, of which two have contributed chapters. The authors have also considered recent developments in historiography, the philosophy of history and historical sociology.
Tom Watson
1. What in the World is Public Relations?
Abstract
This chapter analyzes the antecedents, springboards and restraints that have shaped the development of public relations (PR) in more than 70 countries. Based on data from chapters in the preceding five books in the series, it proposes three common antecedents of PR activity — early corporate communication, governmental information and propaganda methods and cultural/religious influences. The springboards for PR’s growth have been professionalization and education, along with the opening of economies and political plurality. The restraints have been political and economic, such as one-party states, dictatorships and closed economies. PR’s historiography is also explored, and the chapter identifies periodization as the primary method. Future research should move on from the current discovery stage into more analytical and critical processes.
Tom Watson
2. Problems of Public Relations Historiography and Perspectives of a Functional-Integrative Stratification Model
Abstract
Historiography is presented here as a reflective part and sub-discipline of history. There are some important questions for the historiography of public relations, beginning with the origin of public relations, the definition of public relations and related concepts and periodization to mention some of the most important. A functional-integrative stratification model with five different strata is presented with the aim of giving some answers to the formulated questions and solution to problems. All public relations are descended from forms of communication, but not all types of communication can and should be understood as public relations.
Günter Bentele
3. ‘Where the Quiet Work is Done’: Biography in Public Relations
Abstract
Building on the oldest biographical evidence to date, this study argues for more attention to biography in public relations history. Despite the increasingly abundant and global historical perspectives emerging in the body of knowledge, the field of public relations continues to hold to a tradition of recognizing a few who, with some exceptions, have largely crafted their own entries in the historical record. This chapter addresses ‘great man’ history, perspective, context and the lines between public and private — all familiar challenges to historians made perhaps even more challenging when seeking out historical actors who were not only conscious of their legacies, but also perhaps more adept than most at shaping them.
Margot Opdycke Lamme
4. Where is Public Relations Historiography? Philosophy of History, Historiography and Public Relations
Abstract
This chapter considers challenges that face historical scholarship in public relations and draws on a range of theoretical perspectives from philosophy of history, historiography, historical theory, and social theory in an effort to delineate central philosophical questions and challenges relevant to public relations historians. It argues that public relations historical work can benefit from some re-positioning in terms of its historiographical imagination and that this may lead to reinterpreting public relations historical understandings of its societal roles within the context of social change.
Jacquie L’Etang
5. Historiography (and Theory) of Public Relations History
Abstract
This chapter introduces general concepts of historiography and in the historiography of public relations. Thereby it touches questions of theoretization and the philosophy of history. The chapter starts with an overview of historiographical approaches to PR history. It then unfolds important stages and developments in general historiography. Here it differentiates mainly between positivist approaches and postmodern approaches. After this overview of general concepts of ‘making’ history it develops a perspective that opts for a reflective and constructivist approach that is based on the Neue Annalistik (New Annalistic), a theory of history introduced by Lucian Hölscher (2003).
Stefan Wehmeier
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
Perspectives on Public Relations Historiography and Historical Theorization
Editor
Tom Watson
Copyright Year
2015
Publisher
Palgrave Macmillan UK
Electronic ISBN
978-1-137-40438-1
Print ISBN
978-1-349-56864-2
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137404381

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