Divided we stand: Defying hegemony in global public relations theory and practice?

Abstract

The last decade has seen the world becoming increasingly complex. One way of dealing with complexity, according to Schwab (2010a), is to look for certainties or solutions that impose order by simplifying. The authors contend that this is a risk in public relations practice and the academy. While recognizing their benefits they warn against attempts to produce global models which also seek to impose hegemony and argue for maintaining a diversity that reflects reality. They take the cases of the UK and Singapore as respective exemplars where hegemony has arguably occurred and where it can still be resisted. They call for a professional and epistemological stand against hegemony.

Global public relations and communication management: A European perspective

“…Not only practice, research into international and global public relations is also challenging. Gregory and Halff (2013) reviewed the challenges stemming from global complexity and claimed that they "do not propose to give up empirical research [in international and global public relations] altogether" (p. 424). Taylor (2001) urged for examination of presuppositions underlying public relations theory and research into the context of international public relations.…”

Guanxi in intercultural communication and public relations

“…However, as I (Servaes, 2015) and others (e.g. Halff & Gregory, 2014;Gregory & Halff, 2013), have argued is that such a comparative approach grossly overlooks the more subtle cultural differences and interpretations on the one, and the underlying paradigmatic underpinnings of these models on the other hand.…”

“…Some authors interrogate major concepts such as guanxi (inter-relationships), mianzi (face), ren (benevolence), li (rite), bian (argumentation), yuan (predestined relation), ming (fate), zhi (wisdom) in Chinese culture and explore their linkages with philosophical underpinnings and communication practices (e.g. Chang, 2007;Chen & Starosta, 2003;Dong & Day, 2004;Gupta & Bartlett, 2007;Li, 2012;Nakamura, 1985), while others wish to go further and start advancing Asian or Chinese theoretical models or frameworks (Dissanayake, 1988(Dissanayake, , 2006(Dissanayake, , 2009Halff & Gregory, 2014;Gregory & Halff, 2013;Gunaratne, 2005Gunaratne, , 2009Gunaratne, , 2015. It is fair to conclude that, in order to avoid conflict and strive for 'harmony', guanxi (inter-relationships) and mianzi (face) are regarded as the two wings of harmony.…”

Reputation, Propaganda, and Hegemony in Assyriology Studies: A Gramscian View of Public Relations Historiography

“…In addition, power is frequently linked to Gramsci's (1971) concept of hegemony (Coombs & Holladay, 2012) or ''domination without physical coercion through the widespread acceptance of particular ideologies and consent to the practices associated with those ideologies'' (Roper, 2005, p. 70). As Gregory and Halff (2013) pointed out, Gramsci (1971) claimed that dominant classes exercised power in different spheres, including the economic, political and cultural, but also and crucially, ''this extended to the state and civil society. It was in these spheres that hegemony was created and maintained'' (p. 418).…”

“…Then, we propose a broad view of the history of public relations, overcoming some limiting organizational dimensions and extending its scope to communicative forms practiced to legitimize the power of elites, political and aristocratic. Second, we explain how the relevance of the concepts of power, hegemony and propaganda in the current Assyriology is a consequence of the influence of historical materialism in European historiography and especially the theories of Italian Marxist theoretician and politician Antonio Gramsci. This Gramscian approach to the study of propaganda strategies used to legitimize power and maintain hegemonies is connected with the contributions from some public relations scholars who have used the ideas of Gramsci in their approach to the theory and practice of public relations (e.g., Coombs & Holladay, 2012;Gregory & Halff, 2013;Roper, 2005). We reason that the Gramscian approach to ancient Near East propaganda opens a valuable perspective hitherto not contemplated in public relations historiography-the perspective based on the Gramsci's notion of historical bloc, wherein organic intellectuals play a major role as persuaders in the service of power.…”