ABSTRACT
The term “theory” in a public relations context evokes a variety of emotional responses. To the consummate scholar it generates visions of deep, penetrating truths about the underpinning explanations for human and mass-communication behaviors, purposes and consequences, along with opportunities for groundbreaking research. To the practitioner and to many students it conjures
At the outset, the reader is cautioned that this chapter does not attempt to present some sort of unifying theory to explain or describe international public relations practice, nor does it prescribe a regimen of appropriate research methods suitable for expanding the body of knowledge in the discipline. Rather, the chapter will profile existing research, identifying, categorizing and organizing the rather eclectic library of properties available to the scholar or practitioner trying to explore one or another sub-
category of this arena. We begin with a survey of theories that have informed research into various aspects of international public relations practice, then identify principal research methods that scholars have employed to move the discipline forward. We conclude with recommendations for additional vectors of research that should be considered in our profession’s continuing quest to expand our understanding of the discipline.
