International Public Relations Research Articles

English as a Medium of China’s National Storytelling

Foreign language education may serve many goals, but national storytelling would not be an obvious one. Due to the position of English as an international language, it has become an increasingly important tool for intercultural communication and international public relations for countries whose official language is not English. In this study, we will look into the case of China, where English has been seen as the most important medium of China’s national storytelling. Chinese youths are encouraged to learn English well and to equip themselves with the competence to tell China’s stories well in English. As a key theoretical underpinning in this study, national stories are taken as national identities to live by. To better understand this relationship, we have invited 100 undergraduate English Majors in a provincial Chinese university to each tell a China story in English. By subjecting the 100 China stories told by 100 Chinese youths in English to a rigorous thematic analysis, we hope to determine in this study what Chinese national identity is constructed through this national storytelling exercise. More importantly, by examining the Chinese case of English as a medium of national storytelling, this study aims to shed light on the specific purpose of English as a global medium for communicating a country’s national narratives and national discourses.

The Role of Public Relations in an Illiberal State: The Case of Russia

Drawing upon in-depth interviews with seasoned public relations practitioners, this study suggests that the field of public relations in Russia has gradually transformed over the last 30 years from being relatively independent to being largely subordinated to political and business elites. Failure to sustain the role of public relations as a driver of democratization has coincided with the overall decline of democratic institutions in the country. Current practices in the field primarily focus on promoting government and business interests and lack a systemic approach to developing relations with citizens to address social problems. This study, which focuses on the Russian context, contributes to the body of literature on business communications and international public relations by analyzing how a country’s sociopolitical and economic context can influence transformations within the field of public relations; in this case, evolving from being relatively independent to becoming subordinate to political and business elites.

Analyzing media valence shifts: The association between a U.S. PR firm's engagement and Kenya's portrayal in U.S. media

This study examines the association between the engagement of a U.S.-based PR firm by the Kenyan government and subsequent shifts in the tone of news coverage in four major U.S. media outlets. Through quantitative content analysis, the study identifies discernible shifts toward more positive reporting about Kenya during the period of PR firm involvement. By carefully delineating the association between PR engagement and changes in media portrayal without asserting direct causality, this research underscores the significance of strategic PR activities in influencing media narratives. The findings illustrate the intricate dynamics between international public relations practices and media framing, contributing valuable insights into the potential impact of PR efforts on national image cultivation in a global context.

The role of international public relations in Fight against Zionism (Iraq case study(

يبين البحث الدور الذي تلعبه العلاقات العامة الدولية في تعزيز الحرب ضد الصهيونية، ولكونها حرب تنبع من قناعات راسخة لدى الجمهور الداخلي والخارجي بسبب عدالة قضيتها ونبل أهدافها، فإن الأداء كان منسجماً مع ما يرغب القائمون على العلاقات العامة الدولية تحقيقه، فجاءت النتائج تشير إلى وجود كفاءة في العلاقات العامة الدولية في إنجاز مهامها (بمعدل 4.1)، ويعود ذلك إلى استخدام مختلف الأساليب (بمعدل 3.8)، وعلى الرغم من ذلك، هناك العديد من العقبات ولكن تأثيرها بسيط (بمعدل 2)، مع وجود العوامل التي من شأنها مواجهة هذه العقبات (بمعدل 3.72)، كما بينت النتائج وجود ارتباطاً قوياً بين الأداء والأساليب عبره عنه (R2=50) وبميل (49%).

INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE HEYDAR ALIYEV FOUNDATION AS A TOOL OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

Currently, public diplomacy is often studied and analyzed in the context of international public relations. This article discusses the main and significant tools of public diplomacy of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The article notes the common features of public diplomacy and the international community. The activities of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation as an instrument of public diplomacy in Azerbaijan are analyzed. As a result, it was concluded that these tools are significant for the public diplomacy of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Working with an audience of millions can change the paradigm of today’s public diplomacy. There is no alternative to the Internet, the World Wide Web. Because the Internet knows no boundaries. And the Heydar Aliyev Foundation demonstrates a vivid example of the conductor of public diplomacy of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The projects implemented during the period of activity show that the Foundation has achieved great success and reputation not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the international world. The Foundation plays a big role in popularizing Azerbaijan abroad.

A Hollow Enterprise: International Criminal Justice and Public Relations

Abstract Utilising a framework inspired by Edward Bernays, this article critiques public relations in international criminal justice. The article demonstrates public relations is a hollow enterprise comprised of one-way publicity and legitimation. Outreach and public information campaigns are endeavours reliant on standard messaging tactics that treat constituencies as uncritical and homogenous consumers. Such tactics reflect a deep and entrenched turn to marketing and image-management. Whilst such a turn may be inevitable, tribunals such as International Criminal Court need to establish meaningful relations with the public, developed through listening and a commitment to mutual co-learning that, in turn, can drive organisational improvements. In its absence, public relations is a mere exercise in presentation and will continue to lack significance in the contemporary information landscape

Employing the media for international public relations ‎in the Iraqi Ministry of ‎Foreign Affairs - an analytical ‎study on Facebook

Employing the media for international public relations ‎in the Iraqi Ministry of ‎Foreign Affairs - an analytical ‎study on Facebook

Public relations education, 1950s–1990s: the IPRA perspective

PurposeThe aim of this article is the exploration of historical themes that formed education and training in public relations and corporate communication. Its timeline is from the early 1950s to the mid-1990s when university-level education became widespread. It also acknowledges recent initiatives to propose a Global Capability Framework for the field.Design/methodology/approachArchival material, primarily from the International Public Relations Association, was reviewed in order to understand the historic influences that have shaped public relations and corporate communication education in the, mainly, English-speaking world. This was compared with other sources such as journal, articles and other archives in the Germany, Spain, the United States, and the United Kingdom.FindingsThree findings are offered from the archival research and analysis conducted for the article: (1) There was extensive debate over the structure of education between a skills-based approach that was taught as a minor or major stream in an undergraduate degree or graduate level study (Master's) in public relations theory and practice; (2) there was continuing tension between practitioner organizations and academics over the design, content and validation of educational programmes; and (3) there was little interest in the international harmonization of public relations education and training, despite extensive discussion.Originality/valueNo previous historical research has taken such a broad and international view of the development of education and training in public relations and corporate communication. The article also uses archival material that has become available in the past decade.

Foreign Policy: Character of Nigeria’s President in Foreign Relationship (Case of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan)

This piece of write-up is aimed at examining whether or not Nigeria’s foreign policy under former President Goodluck Jonathan contributed to improving the image of Nigeria globally. The study reveals that Nigeria’s foreign policy over the years has been greatly sabotaged by inconsistencies and ambiguities. The study also shows that more than external challenges, it is the internal challenges that are dampening Nigeria’s attainment of positive international image and national transformation. Some of those challenges include leadership crisis, corruption, insurgency and terrorism amongst others. It is therefore recommended that major reorganization of the foreign services, such that positions in the diplomatic corps and other key positions will no longer be politicized and the government should integrate professional international public relations practitioners in its interactions with the international community at large, in order to effectively boost the global image of Nigeria.

Extending the cultural-economic model of public relations through Bourdieu’s theoretical lens to inform public diplomacy efforts

Several scholars have addressed the convergence of public relations and public diplomacy theories, and many have argued that public diplomacy needs to move beyond normative theories of communication. Yet little scholarly work has been done to date. To fill this gap, this study explores how critical and postmodern theoretical approaches can inform public diplomacy practice by extending the cultural–economic model (CEM) of public relations through Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice. Based on interviews with organizational members of Sister Cities International (SCI), this study suggests that critical–cultural and postmodern perspectives can inform SCI’s public diplomacy efforts by considering larger structural factors in tension with agency. Thus, this study contributes to both the development of robust international public relations theory and theory building in the public diplomacy field. Findings indicate that drawing on Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice (1997), social capital contributes to the notion of institutionalized relationships, such as family or resources, that individuals acquire through group memberships as found in articulations within the CEM. Additionally, although the CEM explains the connection between culture and power in creating meaning, Bourdieu’s notion of cultural capital makes explicit a focus on education, which is a significant focus of many public diplomacy efforts. Therefore, the term cultural capital provides additional insight into the model to inform public diplomacy efforts. Thus, this study extends the CEM through Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice by indicating the role of social capital and cultural capital in SCI’s public diplomacy efforts.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ PR В РАЗНЫХ СТРАНАХ

The article is devoted to revealing differences in the sphere of public relations (PR) in different countries on the basis of the analysis of the publications on this topic. The concept «PR» is considered, the significance of mass media in this issue is emphasized. The purpose of the article is to systematize the availa-ble information and make a comparative analysis to create the most complete picture of international PR, identify the work specifics of PR specialists from different countries.

Capturing the dynamic tension in CSR discourses: Toward an integrative circuit of culture model

This paper adopts the Circuit of Culture (COC) – an interpretive approach to international public relations practice based on its five moments (i.e., regulations, production, representations, consumption and identity) – as a guiding framework to analyze corporate social responsibility discourses of Wilmar, a multinational corporation based in Singapore. Sustainability reports from 2009 to 2019 were first accessed to examine the negotiation dynamics that occur in textual discourse when the company dealt with the talk-action relationship through the Communication as Constitutive of Organization (CCO) approach. These were integrated with the contextual propositions nurtured in the five moments of COC to identify the negotiating mechanisms that Wilmar constructed to make sense of, explain, and justify tensional situations between set commitments and actual performance. This study aims to demonstrate how CCO can complement COC to offer a holistic interpretive approach to understand the situated communication dynamics and discursive construction process of talk-action relationship in an international public relations context.

Another View on International Relations [book review International Public Relations and Public Diplomacy: Communication and Engagement

Another View on International Relations [book review International Public Relations and Public Diplomacy: Communication and Engagement

Museum Diplomacy as a mean of International Public Relations: Research on the case of turkishmuseum.com

Uluslararası halkla ilişkiler ülkelere birçok yönden fayda sağlayıcı bir etkinliktir. Ülke tanıtımını gerçekleştirmek, diğer devletlerin vatandaşlarıyla etkileşim kurmak, iletişim olanakları yaratmak, taraftar kazanmak bunlardan bazılarıdır. Bunları hayata geçirmek için uluslararası halkla ilişkiler zaman zaman farklı yöntemleri kullanabilmektedir. Bahsi geçen metotlardan biri de kamu diplomasisi uygulaması olarak müze diplomasisidir. İlgili diplomasi türü reel kurumları ve sanal hâlleriyle beraber, kültürleri tanıtabilmekte, tarihi yaşanmışlıkları anlatabilmekte, yabancı halklarla diyalog kurmak adına bir platform sunabilmektedir. Anılan ortamlarda ziyaretçiler oldukça fazla etkilenebilmekte, onların kaynak ülkeye ilgisi artabilmektedir.
 Bu bağlamda çalışmanın amacı turkishmuseum.com sitesini uluslararası halkla ilişkiler aracı olarak müze diplomasisi kapsamında incelemektedir. İlgili amacı gerçekleştirebilmek adına betimsel analiz metodu kullanılmış ve çeşitli araştırma kategorileri oluşturulmuştur. Bulgularda sitenin dünya sıralaması açısından azımsanmayacak bir ilgi gördüğü, nispeten fazla ziyaretçiyi çektiği, ancak zaman geçirme bakımından düşük seviyede olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sitede tasarımsal ve içeriksel eksikliklerin bulunduğu, sanal müze bölümlerinin orantısal açıdan dengeli olmadığı, İngilizce içeriklerin gerekli seviyede yer almadığı gözlemlenmiştir. Müze diplomasisi kapsamında turkishmuseum.com’un potansiyelinin bulunduğu, fakat eksikliklerin birçok yönden negatifliği içerdiği söylenebilmektedir.

PUBLIC RELATIONS EDUCATION

In this article the question is posed to what extent the prescriptive model for public relations education formulated by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) can be accepted as a role model for South Africa. This model, known as The Wheel of Education, was proposed by IPRA to suggest generally accepted educational standards. The model takes the form of a recommended curriculum accompanied by a set of general re~ommendations pertaining to education and research. In this article, an attempt is made to test the validity of this model by reviewing it in terms of both international and South African literature. It is suggested that the model has international validity but lacks sufficient emphasis on international public relations. It is also suggested that the model cannot be applied strictly as a blueprint for public relations education in South Africa, but needs to be adapted to the development needs of this country.

Crossing the Threshold of General Public Relations Practices: Assessing Malaysia’s Experience in the First Quarter of the Millennium

Public Relations (PR) is nothing new to the present day global community. In fact, mankind had exercised PR since the day they first decided to live together. Since then, an essential beacon of wisdom in the history of mankind was planted. The birth of the modern PR began in 1948 when the Public Relations Society of America and the Institute of Public Relations in Britain were founded. Today, the influence of this communication field has engulfed almost all professions of global organizations. Majority of these organizations apply the PR principles and practices into their organizational structures. This paper begins with the historical backgrounds of the international PR culture, studies, and definitions. From there, the discussion penetrates deeper into the realm of the Malaysian PR culture. This analysis deals with many aspects of the PR, i.e. professional ethics, social and legal contracts, aimed at giving a considerably critical understanding of the Malaysian PR culture, which differs in definitions and practices. At the end of this paper, readers are presented with an overview of contemporary threats and challenges facing the field. This concept paper deals with the past, the present, and the future uncertainties of the PR field. Whether we are aware or not, PR today has been tremendously used for managing social stress in view of globalization. Yet, the forces of tolerance and brotherhood grant the country confidence in facing future challenges and threats. Indeed, the world of global PR is changing inconsiderately. Come what may, Malaysian has chosen to toughen up for a journey of her own in the wake of PR uncertainties.

Review: Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything—and Endangered the World, by Jocelyn C. Zuckerman

In Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything—and Endangered the World, Jocelyn Zuckerman chronicles how palm oil, a traditional West African crop, was co-opted by Europeans and now hides under hundreds of names in nearly half of packaged grocery store products. Zuckerman takes the reader through the past 150 years of the palm oil industry—from its colonial origins to how it continues to exploit workers, consumers, and the environment today. Zuckerman is a journalist at heart and does not shy away from exposing the abusive, capital-driven decisions made by political leaders, nor is she afraid to admit her personal fears during the dangerous journey she embarked on to collect material for this book.Zuckerman begins with the dark history of how European imperialism spread the palm oil plant (Elaeis guineensis) from Africa to South America and Southeast Asia. She then explains the catastrophic environmental and ethical consequences of palm oil production. Palm oil plantation expansion requires peat fires and chemical treatment, and destroying mature tropical forests, which makes palm oil’s use as a biofuel no less carbon intensive as fossil fuels. Finally, she concludes with an investigation of the contemporary political atmosphere of the international palm oil market. Parts one and two spark readers to rise up against the palm oil industry, but part three reins in that mindset by reinforcing that corporate greed and political manipulation make palm oil a complex problem that lacks a clear solution. The final section reads as a dark comedy about international public relations feuds, regulatory battles, and decades of misinformation reaching global consumers. Zuckerman discusses the ethics of greenwashing, environmental colonialism, and international boycotts that could cause a disastrous economic collapse for entire countries that have no immediate replacement for their primary export.Planet Palm balances a macro view of a complex problem with an immersive look into the lives of individuals living in areas of palm oil production. Throughout the book, we hear the voices of those involved in the industry, including the experience of palm oil plantation workers in South America who are exploited by narcotics laundering schemes, contrasted by renegade spies in Indonesia who risk everything to expose and dismantle illegal plantations. Zuckerman’s storytelling abilities can make far-away readers feel personally affected and moved to remain engaged with the narrative.Zuckerman has published several magazine articles on the topic of palm oil over the past few years, and now goes deeper than ever into the hidden price of cheap commodities. Planet Palm uses humanities to discuss an inherently transdisciplinary topic, with notable sections dedicated to areas of nutrition, policy, and natural resources. The historical background provides context to the contemporary cultural shift toward a demand for sustainability, and the motivations behind those who push back against change.This text will certainly open the eyes of anyone interested and willing to dive headfirst into the complexities of the global food system, and will widen the knowledge of those already aware. Each section of this three-part book is dense enough that it could fill a book of its own, yet Zuckerman manages to weave together a gritty, real-life narrative. This book can be used as an educational text to prompt discussions on the importance of collaboration across disciplines for policy that can tackle wicked problems. From an economic perspective, palm oil markets are growing at unsustainable rates.The book sticks to accessible language and could be an exciting way for someone outside academia to better grasp the injustices created and perpetuated by capitalism. At a time when individual responsibility often seems the best way to address the effects of climate change, Planet Palm is an example of just how deeply climate issues are embedded in the global economy, and how collaborative efforts are required to address the need for systemic change. Consumer attempts to avoid palm products, if even possible, are simply not enough. It’s necessary to think beyond neoliberal tendencies and acknowledge that strides toward sustainability will require major changes at the global level.Zuckerman may raise questions for which she has no answers, but she provides enough information to awaken readers to the dramatic structural changes needed to save the world from the palm oil industry. Palm oil is an issue that speaks most directly to those involved in conservation, nutrition, and labor rights, but this book drives home the point that anyone with dish soap at their kitchen sink can be affected. Zuckerman describes a systemic problem that requires a systemic solution—one that is neither easy nor straightforward to accomplish. Nevertheless, this book provides a ray of hope that shines from the growing number of people working to combat the industry, while spreading awareness of what Zuckerman deems the “Palm Oil Crisis.”

‘A Most Successful Service in International Public Relations’? The Yuyitung Affair and the Republic of China’s Other Worlds, 1970–73

International histories of the Republic of China (ROC) from the 1950s to the 1970s largely foreground official diplomacy and US-ROC relations, to the neglect of other ‘worlds’ that the regime engaged with. This article departs from such scholarship by explaining the ROC’s little-known global public relations campaign in response to the sentencing and detention in Taiwan of Philippine-Chinese journalists Quintin and Rizal Yuyitung. Heavily criticised for its actions, and under pressure from the International Press Institute (IPI) to release them, the ROC relied on newspaperman Wang Tih-wu to justify its treatment of the Yuyitungs to the IPI and broker a deal acceptable to both sides. Simultaneously, it sought to quell dissatisfaction from the Philippine KMT, which had engineered the deportation and was unhappy with Taipei’s supposed leniency towards the Yuyitungs. By focusing on Wang, the IPI, and the Philippine KMT, the article argues for understanding the ROC in the world from the perspectives of ‘private’ but state-aligned individuals, international public opinion and non-governmental organisations, and overseas Chinese societies and institutions. Through courting public opinion, the ROC fashioned itself as a sovereign, legitimate, and ‘free’ state even though and because it did not control mainland China and was under martial law.

Thinking about Latin American public diplomacy

AbstractPublic diplomacy entails the management of international political communication in accordance with the interests of foreign action and policy. The discipline originated in the United States, and its school of thought and models have influenced a multitude of chancelleries. This article investigates the existence of an original and distinct Latin American public diplomacy, although it shares the theoretical foundation of soft power and international public relations for a global audience. It can be concluded that no unique school of Latin American public diplomacy exists. There are two trains of thought and foreign policy—conservative values and Chavists—which complicates a united action. Furthermore, the presidentialism system make the professional profile of public diplomacy complex, resulting in delays in the development of international communication conducted by chancelleries.

Theoretical and applied problems of interaction between the international and national legal systems

The subject. The interaction of modern national legal systems and the international legal system is still the most controversial legal phenomenon. An exclusively national approach to solving issues of the general theory of international law could not and cannot justify expectations and close the need for legal comprehension. The situation is aggravated by the fact that, at the level of universal international law, the solution of issues on the agenda with the help of positive methods of legal regulation, and, consequently, the implementation of the norms of existing international treaties today are criticized, tested and often completely violated. The implementation of the norms of existing international treaties is increasingly faced with attempts to refute their postulates using the "customs" under which those "rules" are veiled. In such conditions, national legal systems may experience an increased "feeling of jealousy" to their sovereignty and try to "close" as much as possible using the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of the state.Purpose of the study. In such conditions, it is most important to choose the right vector in improving international law, and not order, law based on normative principles. It is important to correctly "choose the key" to harmonizing the will of sovereign states of our time. The article is devoted to the search for a more correct way of developing international law through its interaction, and not counteraction with the national one.Methodology. The research was carried out using a formal legal interpretation of international legal acts, as well as a comparative analysis of Russian and foreign legal literature. Structural and systemic methods are also the backbone of the study. The conclusions of the work are based on dialectical unity and the struggle of opposites, as well as on interacting deduction and induction in relation to legal systems.The main results. The growing trend towards fragmentation of international law leads to a reduction in the base of sources in the universal sphere of international law. The intensification of regionalization and the creation of regional unions of sovereign states is becoming a source of polar processes: on the one hand, supranational control over the observance of international law by states within their legal system increases, on the other hand, natural situations of non-execution of decisions of international judicial bodies arise. Such situations, without a proper assessment of the reasons for the issuance of the international acts of law enforcement themselves, can lead to unfounded criticism. There is an impressive amount of work in the field of correlation between international and national law, as well as in the field of enforcement of decisions of international judicial bodies. Despite this, in the field of practical implementation of the norms of international law, there remains a lack of doctrinal developments. Such a situation will inevitably lead to attempts to create a semblance of a norm, an escalation of confrontation, and an inability to reach agreement on issues on the agenda. The situation at the level of the universal international legal system is aggravating, therefore, the verification of the limits of competence of regional education authorities, in particular of supranational judicial control bodies, becomes even more important.Сonclusions. The author comes to the conclusion that, on the one hand, in the sphere of universal international law, there is a reduction in the base of sources of international law. On the other hand, in the field of regional international integration, on the contrary, the number of sources of international legal regulation is increasing, and the process of their implementation is intensifying. Universal international law based on the principles of the UN Charter is the most qualitative regulator of the field of international public relations. However, at the present stage of development of the international community, regional integration may well come to its aid: through regional interaction, the consolidation of the wills of sovereign states can and should be achieved a legal constructive dialogue on key issues of already universal international law. Using the approaches of national legal regulation exclusively and unilaterally, it is impossible to productively approach issues of international law: neither in the field of creating international organizations of various types, nor in matters of fulfilling obligations under international law. According to the results of the study, it was concluded that only non-confrontational interaction of specialists in the field of international and national (primarily constitutional) law can provide the construction of the most effective model of interaction of these legal systems. This requires a transformation of the basic approaches to the issues of interaction between international and national law. The basic unity of the general theory of law and the specific features of legal systems should be the starting points for doctrinal research of existing legal structures and the practice of their implementation.