SAGE Journal Articles

Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Journal Article 1.1: Galloway, C. J. (2013). Deliver us from definitions: A fresh way of looking at public relations. Public Relations Inquiry, 2(2), 147-159.

Abstract: Public relations (PR) is caught up in a seemingly endless quest to define its identity through locating the essence of its practice. This article not only questions the value of the quest but also offers an alternative ‘apophatic’ path--one based on what may not be said about the profession. This way of building understanding through negation is found in various religious traditions and also in the works of some modern philosophers and poets. Rather than adding to the multiple efforts to define PR’s essence--most recently by the Public Relations Society of America--an apophatic approach could help clear the profession’s field of vision by removing some accumulated definitional debris. In this way, it could serve as an alternative strategy to assist those both inside and outside the profession to better describe what PR does.

Journal Article 1.2: Holladay, S. J., & Coombs, W. T. (2013). Public relations literacy: Developing critical consumers of public relations. Public Relations Inquiry, 2(2), 125-146.

Abstract: This article introduces the concept of public relations literacy and proposes that public relations literacy should be promoted to empower consumers of public relations’ actions and messages and to increase the accountability of practitioners. The goals of this article are to describe the concept of public relations literacy as a subset of media literacy, discuss its value to society, and propose areas of critical thinking that could enhance the conceptualization and practice of public relations literacy.

Journal Article 1.3: Aronczyk, M., Edwards, L., & Kantola, A. (2017). Apprehending public relations as a promotional industry. Public Relations Inquiry, 6(2), 139-155.

Abstract: This special issue examines the growing social and political importance of promotional activities and public relations. For decades, promotional tools have been deployed to foster the aims of various societal agencies, be they corporations, political actors, public institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or citizen movements. In today’s turbulent political and media environments, promotional practices have become more inventive, coordinated and ubiquitous, crossing transnational borders and circulating across business, politics and social institutions. Public relations is an essential tool in the promotional mix and is increasingly a stand-alone strategy for organizations of all kinds to manage their visibility, legitimacy, and relationships with stakeholders. However, its influence and power in the context of an increasingly promotional culture are under-researched. In this introduction, we set out the landscape of promotional culture in which public relations activity takes place and consider how existing research on promotional work may illuminate our knowledge of contemporary public relations work.