From Communitarianism to Dialogue: Building Better Community Relationships

Abstract

Community has long been a central analytic concept in public relations theory and
praxis. This article continues the discussion of community building in public relations
by arguing that (1) dialogue is an essential component of ethical community building
and (2) public relations is uniquely situated within the organizational hierarchy to help
build communities through dialogue. Drawing on insights from the communitarian
movement, feminism, dialogue, and the social networks concept of tertius iugens, this
article further develops a dialogic/communitarian model of public relations.