ABSTRACT
Writing a chapter characterizing public relations in the United States is daunting. We accepted this invitation with trepidation. We did not write this chapter in an attempt to galvanize opinion within the academic community of public relations worldwide. Understanding that risk, we did our best to avoid the arrogance that so endears North Americans to the rest of the world. Instead, we tried to stake out a position apart from those whose work legitimately might be characterized as ethnocentric.
