Public Relations in Times of Dissensus: Narratives, Artifacts, and the Challenges of Meaning

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Saima Kazmi Joshua Foust

Public Relations in Times of Dissensus

Name: Public Relations in Times of Dissensus
Price: 160 AUD
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ISBN: 9781666967760

Narratives, Artifacts, and the Challenges of Meaning

Saima Kazmi, Joshua Foust, Burton St. John III

$160

Hardback

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English

Rowman & Littlefield
16 April 2026

Communication studies; Media studies; Public relations

Public relations are entering an era marked by increasing societal dissensus, where shared narratives are breaking down and contentious communication defines the public sphere. This edited volume argues that public relations must move beyond consensus-seeking models to engage with dissent as a critical feature of modern communication.

The traditional public relations approaches that pursue collective agreement are increasingly out of step with the contemporary dynamics shaped by political polarization, digital framing, and postmodern challenges to metanarratives. Instead of fighting against the grain, contributors explore how public relations can evolve to effectively function amid conflict, contradiction, and competing values. Various case studies and critical analyses including non-profit organizations, government crisis communication, corporate social advocacy, global diplomacy, and

historical movements provide interdisciplinary insights into how public relations can strategically navigate dissents. By repositioning dissensus as a productive condition that requires engagement, this book invites scholars and practitioners to reconsider public relations as a field shaped not solely by consensus but by contestation, complexity, and plurality. As such, this volume offers a timely reevaluation of the public relations field’s foundation and future trajectory in a complex world by engaging with dissensus as a site of ethical and strategic potential.

Edited by: Saima Kazmi, Joshua Foust, Burton St. John III
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9781666967760
ISBN 10: 1666967769
Pages: 312
Publication Date: 16 April 2026
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Burton St. John III is Associate Chair and Professor of Advertising, Public Relations, and Media Design at the University of Colorado Boulder, USA. Saima Kazmi is Assistant Professor of Advertising at the University of Oregon, USA. Joshua Foust is Assistant Professor of Public Relations at Syracuse University, USA.

Reviews for Public Relations in Times of Dissensus: Narratives, Artifacts, and the Challenges of Meaning

Public Relations in Times of Dissensus is a timely call for the field to move beyond its entrenched consensus bias and embrace dissensus as a defining feature of today’s public sphere. The editors and contributors show – through cases spanning nonprofits to public diplomacy – that recognizing the legitimacy of opposing views and the democratic value of passion can make public relations more ethical, adaptive, and relevant in an era of deep societal contestation. * Øyvind Ihlen, Professor of Media and Communication, University of Oslo, Norway *