Social Theory and Public Relations Research ― Applying Habermas in Theory and Practice

As one of the key thinkers of social theory, public relations scholars have repeatedly turned to Habermas’ work. This book systematically reviews the body of public relations and communication literature that has applied Habermas’ theories for the first time, to provide an extensive and nuanced discussion on what one of the most influential social theorists has to offer public relations research.

Taking concepts from seminal works such as the Theory of Communicative Action and the Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere, this book explores applications of Habermas’ concepts. It confronts conflicts with Habermas’ critical understanding of public relations as moral communication, and explores indepth the concepts of moral justification and differentiation of lifeworld and system for their potential for PR research and practice.

Demonstrating the applications and challenges for public relations ethics, and organizational communications while opening less well-known concepts such as reflexivity, crisis consciousness, and double politics as avenues for future research, this book will help public relations researchers harness the potential of Habermas’ methodological tools. It will be of interest to all scholars and advanced students of public relations and communication studies.

Dr. Alexander Buhmann is Assistant Professor at the Department of Communication and Culture at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo. He is also currently a Research Fellow (2016–2018) at the Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California. His current research focuses on public relations, corporate communication, and public diplomacy.