ABSTRACT
Dialogic theory is the oldest public relations theory and one of the most ethical, tracing theoretical roots back to ancient Greece, early and mid-20th-century dialogic scholars, and theory building by public relations scholars in the late 1990s and beyond. Dialogue describes the relational interaction between two or more individuals who agree to treat each other with respect, kindness, and trust, and to consider the needs of the other, not just one’s own. Dialogue is based on two key ideas: a body of rules or practices for interacting with other people in an ethical and uplifting manner and the assumption of a potentially ongoing relationship of mutual respect.
