Journal Review

By Arintya Iga Permata; 135120207121005

Department of Communication Science, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences

University of Brawijaya

This article consist of review journal titled “International Public Relations:Critique and Reformulation” written by Carl Botan and journal titled “A Postmodern Critique of Public Relations Theory and Practice” written by Derina Holtzhausen. The aims of this review is to explore the critique of public relations with different approaches by the authors.

The first journal written by Botan explains about the international public relations with assumption there  are  some  cultural  and  national  differences  between  developed  countries that  make  the  study  and  practice  of  public  relations  somewhat  different  between them (Botan, 1992). Botan journal divide into 3 parts, it can help to understand the purpose and the basic assumption that leads to the author's purpose to convey its purpose in explaining that international  public  relations  is  also  always  intercultural public  relations  because  the  process  is  characterized  in  different  nations  by different  mixtures  of  national  development,  primary  client,  legal/political,  and historical  contexts.

The second journal is talk about postmodern critique in public relation. Holtzhausen begin with explained the distinctions between critical teory and postmodernism. From some of literatures it shows that the difficulty to distinctions between critical teory and postmodernism. As Holtzhausen (2002) Ironically, researchers mention an attack on the division of labour between disciplines and supra disciplinary discourses as a major area of agreement between critical and postmodern theory, but then continue to cement distinct differences between these two traditions. However, it might be appropriate to review these commonalities and differences briefly before explaining the theoretical grounding for this article.

Postmodernism generally highlights the role of signs and symbols in society, and interprets these signs and symbols as cultural artefacts with distinct political, ideological and social undertones. Best & Kellner (in Holtzhausen, 2002) Other than critical theorists, postmodern philosophers highlight the role public relations practitioners play in today's society. They specifically criticise public relations practitioners for the way in which they create a hyper reality through 'image contests, or Sign struggles'. Thus, postmodernists indirectly focus on the media relations function of public relations practitioners.

I used a case from KPK vs KAPOLRI for the example, which is role of Public Relations is needed to making clear about the problem through the media. The role of practitioners can viewed from this case.

Based on my review above, i think this journal serve a good materials about critique of public relations but there are less of an example or real case in both journal. However, for more detailed explanations and literatures about public relations theory and practice, i recommend these journal to read by people. 

References

Botan, C.(1992). Internatonal public relations: critique and reformulation. Public Relations Review, 18(2), 149-159. ISSN:0363-8111

Haltzhausen, D. (2002). A postmodern critique of public relations theory and practice. Communicatio, 28(1). doi: 10.1080/02500160208537955