Critical public relations and the moral consideration of other animals

This chapter introduces a theoretical framework for incorporating compassion towards nonhuman animals within the critical public relations perspective. This chapter is divided into two main sections. First, a literature review is conducted to identify ethical frameworks proposed by previous critical public relations literature, which can also be used to justify the practice of compassion towards other animals. Second, the authors review what constitutes critical public relations and the challenges and opportunities that arise from incorporating the animal standpoint, i.e. a non-anthropocentric, non-speciesist gaze, within it. The ultimate aim of the chapter is to show that the perspective of critical public relations is ready to adopt a non-anthropocentric stance, and how this can further the study of power, hegemony, ideology, propaganda, and social change, and contribute to fulfilling the emancipatory role of research in critical public relations.