EPRHN – European Public Relations History Network

The history of public relations academic field is relatively new. Although Prof Dr Günter Bentele of Leipzig University pioneered a conference on PR history in the late 1990s, it was not until 2010 that a regular academic conference, the International History of Public Relations Conference (IHPRC), was launched at Bournemouth University in England by Tom Watson. There has been increasing interest in the conference and in PR historical research in Europe over the past years but it has largely focused on national histories or phenomena.

Collaborative research, across national boundaries, has yet to emerge. There is also little shared knowledge of archival resources, where they exist or where they could be created. The aim of this network is to develop cross-border projects and to explore the distinctive characteristics of public relations history across the continent. It will also identify and exploit (for research purposes) archives of public relations organisations, phenomena and personalities, as have been developed in North America.

Network leader

Anastasios Theofilou
University of Bournemouth, UK
atheofilou@bournemouth.ac.uk

How can EUPRERA members join the network?

Membership is open to academics and practitioners with an active interest in developing archival resources, research and scholarship in the field of European public relations history. The network is operating virtually but it is progressing into the organisation of symposia, the preparation of collaborative research bids and the sharing of access to archival resources.