Public Relations History: Theory, Practice, and Profession (Routledge 2021)
Describe the focus of your book.
The book examines the development of public relations in the United States, specifically looking at sectors of public relations practice. Its focus is historiographic. I wanted to examine the different narratives of public relations and craft a new narrative of PR history that was more inclusive of non-corporate PR development. I also examined the relationship between public relations and propaganda, and how the historical development of the public relations field was impacted by growing awareness of public opinion and the power of communication. The end result showed that modern U.S. public relations is the byproduct of many different types of public relations practiced in politics, social movements, religion, corporations, higher education, and the government.
How did you come across this subject? Why did it interest you?
This subject is an outgrowth of several years of study on PR history. My dissertation looked at public relations development, particularly early American PR practice in the late 19th century. As my research progressed, I became more interested in the development of PR as a practice and profession, and how diverse sectors, such as politics, entertainment, corporate communication, and social movements, actually impacted public relations practice that we know today.
What archives or research materials did you use?
Much of my research examined early news accounts of public relations, as well as legal documents that examined public relations. As a historiography, I also used many early histories written about public relations and public opinion. I made good use of digital newspaper archives, and the interlibrary loan system for trade press and other early public relations publications.
How does your book relate to journalism history? How is it relevant to the present?
The history of public relations is intertwined with the development of the press. As the press evolved in the 19th century from the partisan press to the penny press and later to yellow journalism and muckrakers, the public relations field followed suit. Like today, many early public relations practitioners were former journalists. The book shows that PR history is journalism history, and that the two fields are highly interconnected in their development in the U.S.
What advice do you have for other historians that are working on or starting book projects?
Book projects, like all big projects, need to be tailored. Even when a book project is narrow in scope you invariably find out that the topic is much bigger than you originally thought. So, in that sense, I would say choose your topic with an eye toward a clearly defined and manageable topic. As far as writing, I think everyone has their own work habits that work for them. My advice is to know what you can write in a day and what writing habits work best for you. Books are something that take time, sometimes years, to complete. Set deadlines, follow them, and soon enough you’ll be finished.