Public Relations and Corporate Power

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

Admission to the postgraduate diploma, fourth-year honours in Media and Communications, two-year Master of Arts (Global Media Communication) or two-year Master of Arts (Global Journalism).

This subject examines the practice of public relations in a globally corporatised environment and pays special attention to its historical and theoretical development in the context of large business corporations. The role of public relations as a human agency in sustaining a balance between competing and opposing forces in complex environments is explored. Lectures will present a critical assessment of the reactive and unethical approaches of selected business corporations towards various publics and inform students of corrective and pro-active forms of building corporate culture, managing (media) relationships, designing corporate campaigns and community sponsorships, analysing risks and issues and networking through coalitions in global terms. Students will debate mainstream and critical theoretical perspectives and engage with actual public relations cases by critically investigating problems and issues in the contemporary practice of corporate public relations.

A written essay of 2500 words 40%, a 20 minute oral presentation of a campaign 10% (due from mid semester during assigned seminar session), a final case study report of 2500 words 50% (due at the end of the semester)

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• be able to demonstrate a high level of understanding of key communication issues in the industry;

• be able to demonstrate skills in research procedures and critical evaluation;

• be able to present ideas in both verbal and written form and in conformity to professional and academic conventions;

• be able to apply pro-active strategies in identifying and solving communication problems at various levels.