Communicating Responsible Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

This series brings together leading scholars of public relations communication management (corporate) social responsibility sustainability and diversity equity and inclusion (DEI). Together we offer critique and map new arenas for discovery in an effort to advance a collective goal of eliminating bias/discrimination from organizations and other public spaces. Simultaneously we amplify the virtues of equality and respect among humans and for all species. 

Despite nearly two decades of public relations theory building and formal study about the importance of DEI numbers of public relations practitioners who are not male or Caucasian/White have not grown in meaningful ways and research directions seem to have hit a wall. Examining public relations as a responsibility" provides new avenues for critiquing ways power operates in and through public relations work. This proposed series will add a much-needed contribution to global understanding of intersections among DEI with social responsibility to enable public relations practitioners and organizations (corporations and non-profits) to take lip service to the next level. To be authentic DEI must be a component of social responsibility and sustainability. And the public relations practitioner as insider-activist and ethics guardian is the logical point person to infuse DEI-thinking in policies decision making and everyday life throughout organizations.