Privileging an activist vs. a corporate view of public relations history in the U.S.

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• 作者：W. Timothy Coombs ; ^{Timothy.Coombs@ucf.edu} ; ^{wtcoombs@hotmail.com} ; Sherry J. Holladay ^{Sherry.Holladay@ucf.edu}
• 关键词：Public relations history ; Activism ; Activists ; Corporate-centric
• 刊名：Public Relations Review
• 出版年：2012
• 期刊代码：71_03638111
• 类别：bus
• 出版时间：September, 2012
• 卷：38
• 期：3
• 页码：347-353
• 文件大小：251 K

摘要

This article elaborates on the argument that the history of U.S. public relations has been distorted by the emphasis on corporate functions of public relations. The dominant corporate-centric view of U.S. public relations history often claim that public relations developed as a response to activists who attempted to interfere with business operations. That myopic, corporate-centric view has perpetuated a negative view of public relations as merely a tool of 鈥渂ig business鈥? In the past as well as the present, corporations have been learning from and co-opting activists鈥?innovative public relations techniques. By alternatively grounding U.S. public relations history in the works of activists, we open possibilities for re-imagining the field and legitimizing activists鈥?works as a positive, central component in public relations theory and research. We end by providing resources educators can utilize to teach a more balanced view of public relations history in the U.S.