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Public Interest Communication

educational resource

posted on 2023-09-27, 00:11 authored by Kristin DemetriousKristin Demetrious

This article points to the ways civil society in postneoliberal cultures is adopting corporate (market-based) styles of communication for advocacy. It is an under-researched yet crucial development which is inflecting public language in public debate as a site of meaning making.

History

Pagination

1-1

Publisher DOI

https://doi.org/10.1093/obo/9780199756841-0302

Language

eng

Research statement

Background This research describes the distinctive characteristics of an emerging communicative field, public interest communication (PIC). Within the family of public relations (PR), PIC is a market-based approach that is increasingly adopted by activist and civil society groups to engage the public in debates around contentious political issues, like climate change. It argues that this movement reflects profound changes in the public sphere brought about by the pervasive influence of the neoliberal, PR nexus. It argues that PIC’s relationship to democratic models is key to interpreting its impact and contribution to society. Contribution Addressing a current gap in the field of communication, the movement of PR language practices into activism and civil society within a postneoliberal context has yet to be surveyed comprehensively. This curated bibliographic entry marks the systematic and formal collection of knowledge in this area, contributing to the mapping of this emerging field. Significance This article traces the movement of PR into new cultural and institutional sites and points to the ways that activist groups in postneoliberal cultures are adopting corporate styles of communication. It is an under-researched, yet crucial development as public language is a significant site of meaning making. Thus, if activist groups are relying on corporate methods, it shows the seepage of neoliberal cultures into new domains. The implications of this for citizenship and democracy are yet to be fully explored.

Publication classification

JO3 Original Creative Works – Textual Work

Scale

NTRO Minor

Extent

Web https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780199756841/obo-9780199756841-0302.xml?p=emailAUG/LyQaKV64M&d=/document/obo-9780199756841/obo-9780199756841-0302.xml

Recognition, awards & prizes

OUP letter (16/6/2023) available on request. The article has been peer reviewed by the OUP editorial board and outside reviewers and final approval has been given. The article has met OUP's highest standards of scholarship and will be a vital part of important scholarly work.

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Place of publication

Oxford, Eng.

Source

Oxford Bibliographies

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Keywords

civil society critical public relations neoliberalism public interest communication public interest theory public relations public sphere

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