Euprera Congress 2004: Leipzig

Public Relations and the Public Sphere
(New) Theoretical Approaches and Empirical Studies

The European Public Relations Education and Research Association [EUPRERA] and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft [DGPuK] organized a joint conference in Germany, from September 23–26, 2004. Over 140 colleagues – scholars and practitioners alike – from all over Europe and indeed the whole world, gathered in Leipzig for three days of discussion and debate.

The conference focused on the public sphere as a concept vital to an understanding of the roles and functions of Public Relations within society. Papers addressed one or more of the following key issues:

Models and Metaphors

• (New) Theories of the public sphere
• Mechanisms, dynamics and effects in the public sphere: attention, trust and reputation
• Communicating in the public sphere

Public Relations and the Public Sphere

• PR’s role in creating / shaping the public sphere: theoretical underpinnings & empirical data
• The court of public opinion: the power of the public to limit and to legitimize
• Ethical questions: PR’s responsibility for the public sphere and moral regulations
• Topology and anatomy: instruments and methods of mapping and segmenting

The Public Sphere in a Changing World

• Beyond Habermas: The political, the commercial and the public sphere
• Global, local and glocal spheres: heterogeneity & homogeneity
• Third-party (i.e. governments and other regulating bodies) regulations of PR activities: Lobbying, Media Relations, Financial PR, Consumer PR, Health PR, Political Consultancy, etc.
• The self-reflecting public sphere

Contact: Prof. Dr. Günter Bentele
Universität Leipzig, Institut für Kommunikations- & Medienwissenschaft
Lehrstuhl Public Relations / Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Ritterstr. 24; D-04109 Leipzig (Germany)
Tel:. +049 / (0)341 / 9 73 57 30
Fax: +049 / (0)341 / 9 73 57 48
E-Mail: bentele@uni-leipzig.de
www.communicationmanagement.de