Özet:

For centuries, activists have used the communication strategies of their age to raise awareness and to promote policies. They and their local, national, and international campaigns have been the subject of countless studies in the field of communications and other branches of the social sciences. Over the last two decades, activism and social movements have also become a special focus of practitioners and researchers in the field of public relations history and theory, resulting in the rise of a new public relations theory, “activist public relations,” within the discipline. By defining public relations as tool for political change, exploring its role in the functioning of democratic societies, and highlighting the societal benefits of awareness-raising campaigns, activist public relations theory has reopened discussions about the purpose, mission, value, ethics, power, and influence of the discipline. Through these discussions, which are vital to the future of the field, concepts such as “institution,” “public,” and “power” have gained new meanings in public relations discourse. The aim of this article is to present the development, tactics, and strategies of activist public relations theory as a critical paradigm and alternative to mainstream and functionalist approaches to public relations.

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