Landscapes of Care: Feminist Approaches in Global Public Relations

ABSTRACT

This paper explores theoretical and practical implications of feminist theory—specifically standpoint theory, ethics of care, and related concepts from feminist geography—for global public relations, an area of theory and practice often associated with Western imperialism. Global public relations theory dictates that effective transnational campaigns should retain some global consistency but also be tailored to local publics. Textual analysis of global campaigns by a coalition of public and private organizations promoting handwashing in poor and agrarian communities worldwide revealed that effective campaigns had globally constant and locally responsive elements. Furthermore, the campaigns aligned with standpoint theory’s privileging of situated knowledge grounded in lived experiences, especially women’s. Last, effective global handwashing campaigns were motivated by an ethic of care and commitment to social change, showing relevance of feminist approaches for global public relations.

Notes

^1. While some public relations scholars distinguish between global and international public relations (cf. Holtzhausen, 2011), I adopt global to refer to any public relations practice with transnational reach and conducted or having influence in multiple countries (cf. Sriramesh & Verčič, 2003).

^2. For a list of coalition member organizations, see http://www.globalhandwashing.org/about/members

^3. http://globalhandwashing.org/global-handwashing-day/about-ghd/