Beginning with the basic premise that public relations can best be understood as a specialized type of communication, the contributors to this volume establish public relations as a vital and viable realm for communication research and theory development. Through the application of communication theories, they attempt to explain and predict public relations practices and then use these practices to develop communication theories. Their discussions fall into three distinct categories: metatheory, theory, and examples of applications of theories. An ideal volume for professionals and students in communication, journalism, and related fields.

"...a significant attempt to develop a body of knowledge in the field. It is the first volume published specifically in public relations theory and therefore breaks new ground in the field's literature....should provoke thought, discussion, and research..."
—Southern Communication Journal

"...offers a bounty of material for scholarly reading and graduate classrooms. And practitioners would be well advised to inform their managerial and ethical decisions with ideas from the sections of metatheory and theory....The book should be read by all teachers and scholars in public relations and should be perused, at the very least, by those wanting to know what research and practice of public relations is all about. "
—Journalism Quarterly