ABSTRACT
Public relations and public relations research have often been accused of being in the service of powerful interests and of privileging the functional objectives of organizational elites. This chapter discusses what can be deemed radical tendencies in public relations scholarship, defined as that which makes a break with the traditional paradigm and calls for reforming theory and/or practice. It also discusses perspectives drawing on critical theory, touching on the definition, the aims and the methods of approaches relying on this tradition. The chapter further pursues that public relations deals with power issues and should not only embrace consensus, but also conflict. In political theory, calls have been issued to see conflict as the constituting element of the political. The chapter finally discusses the implications this perspective has for public relations. Ultimately, all these versions of public relations as a radical activity are united in discontent at some social and/or academic level.
