2nd Edition

Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations II

Edited By Robert L. Heath, Elizabeth L. Toth, Damion Waymer Copyright 2009
    392 Pages
    by Routledge

    392 Pages
    by Routledge

    This volume illustrates the application of rhetorical theory and critical perspectives to explain public relations practices. It provides a systematic and coherent statement of the crucial guidelines and philosophical underpinnings of public relations. Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations II addresses the rhetorical/critical tradition’s contribution to the definition of public relations and PR practice; explores the role of PR in creating shared meaning in support of publicity and promotional organizational efforts; considers the tradition's contributions to risk, crisis, and issues dimensions of public relations; and highlights ethics, character, and responsible advocacy. It uses a rhetorical lens to provide practitioners with a sense of how their PR campaigns make a contribution to the organizational bottom line.

    Introduction by Robert Heath

    Section 1: Rhetorical Heritage and Critical Tradition

    1. The Rhetorical Tradition: Wrangle in the Market: Robert L. Heath

    2. The Case for Pluralistic Studies of Public Relations: Rhetorical, Critical, and Excellence Perspectives : Elizabeth L. Toth 

    3. Theoretical Black Holes: A Partial A to Z of Missing Critical Thought in Public Relations: David McKie 

    4. Civil Society as a Rhetorical Public Relations Process: Maureen Taylor

    5. Perspectives on Public Relations History: Ron Pearson 

    6. Feminist Criticism in Public Relations: How Gender Can Impact Public Relations Texts and Contexts: Linda Aldoory

    Section 2: Creating Shared Meaning through Ethical Public Relations Promotion and Publicity

    7. Public Relations and the Strategic Use of Transparency - Consistency, Hypocrisy and Corporate Change: Lars Thoger Christensen and Roy Langer

    8. 756*: The Legitimacy of a Baseball Number: Josh Boyd

    9. The Devil in Disguise: Voixx, Drug Safety and the FDA: Jane Stuart Baker, Charles Conrad, Chris Cudahy and Jennifer Willyard

    10. Activist Public Relations: A Case Study of Frederick Douglass' "Fourth of July Address": Robert L. Heath and Damion Waymer 

    11. Connecting Organizations and Their Employee Publics: The Rhetorical Analysis of Employee-Organization Relationships (EOR): Damion Waymer and Lan Ni 

    Section 3: Activism, Issues, Crisis and Risk: Rhetorical Heavy Lifting

    12. Crisis, Crisis Communication, Reputation, and Rhetoric: W. Timothy Coombs 

    13. Dialogue, Discourse Ethics, and Disney: Rebecca J. Meisenbach & Sarah Bonewits Feldner 

    14. Secret Persuaders: Ethical and Rhetorical Perspectives on the Use of Public Relations Front Groups: Michael J. Palenchar and Kathy R. Fitzpatrick

    15. Inter-Organizational Crisis Communication: Exploring Source and Stakeholder Communication in the Roman Catholic Clergy Sex Abuse Case: Suzanne Boys

    Section 4: Character, Ethics, and Legitimacy in the Practice of Public Relations

    16. Character, Ethics and Legitimacy in the Practice of Public Relations: John W. Hill and Arthur Page: Karen Miller Russell 

    17. Send Out a Posse: Outlaw Discourse As Postmodern Rhetoric: Josh Boyd and Sarah Hagedorn VanSlette 

    18. Documentary as Activist Medium: The Wal-Mart Movie: Ashli Quesinberry Stokes and Rachel Holloway

    19. Good Environmental Citizens? The Green Rhetoric of Corporate Social Responsibility: Øyvind Ihlen

    Biography

    Heath, Robert L.; Toth, Elizabeth L.; Waymer, Damion