Purpose – The aim of this work is to explore Edward L. Bernays' early evolution in thought concerning the rationale for public relations and to briefly discuss how these emergent ideological concepts have proven foundational for contemporary public relations. Design/methodology/approach –...

Purpose – This brief essay aims to introduce public relations historians to PRimary Source, a new search tool designed to help them, their students, and public relations professionals locate archives and manuscript collections relevant to the field. Design/methodology/approach – The article...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue that public relations (PR) history‐writing has profoundly shaped the discipline and that its US bias may have limited theoretical developments. The author aims to explore the challenges in writing PR history and to consider some of the...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to offer critical reflection on the role played by the concept of dialogue in public relations theory, pedagogy, and practice. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is theoretical and therefore focused on the elucidation of the history, meaning, and...

Purpose – This paper seeks to clarify the various aspects of legitimacy in public relations in order to establish a better understanding of the limits of professionalization. Legitimacy has always been a central concept in public relations. In order to ensure a license to operate, the conduct...

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to study how communication executives perceive their internal and external legitimacy, how they reflect on recent developments in their work, and which future challenges they perceive as being important. Design/methodology/approach – The approach...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline a conceptual framework for the institutional preconditions for media work and how organizations establish these conditions. Design/methodology/approach – The work concurs with the stream of scholars who use social theory as their...