Relazioni pubbliche: pars communicans della «sociologia pubblica»?

Abstract

The contribution seeks to position public relations (PR) as a communicative component of public sociology (PS), tracing the evolution of PR from its inception to the modern-day constructs that form its theoretical foundation and practical activities. It argues that concepts such as stakeholder, relationship, and reputation are not merely central to PR but also intricately intertwined and utilized within the realm of sociological inquiry. The paper underscores the societal impact of PR, especially emphasizing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social campaigns. These efforts aim to propagate specific issues, cultivate a collective awareness, and ultimately provoke transformation in social attitudes and behaviors. A notable tension exists within PR between empirical practices and scientific precision, drawing attention to the need for interdisciplinary strategies and mid-range theories to bridge this gap. PR, while not exclusively, is primarily situated within the social sciences and, more specifically, within the Sociology of Cultural Processes as an academic discipline. This article calls for a deeper integration between PR and PS, advocating for the use of shared concepts, categories, methods, and tools. Additionally, PR targets the identification of distinct publics and the initiation of active, participatory dialogue with them. Although the predominant literature and major journals in PR are American, the article acknowledges that PR’s application on local grounds is where the synthesis of local and global takes place, demonstrating the field’s wide-reaching relevance and adaptability.