Public Relations in the New Millennium. A Decade of Research in Public Relations Review: A Systematic Review (2015-2024)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52152/RCR.V14.13Keywords:
Systematic Review, Content Analysis, Methodology, Public Relations Review, Issues And TrendsAbstract
This paper is the second part of a project which previously covered the years 2000-2014. The article examines the development of research in public relations through a systematic review of all 954 articles published in one of the field’s main journals (Public Relations Review) between the years 2015 and 2024. It is a mixed longitudinal study that maps authors, universities, goals, research questions and hypotheses, methodologies, techniques, themes, results, conclusions and theoretical backgrounds, amongst other topics. To study the field’s development, it combines qualitative and bibliometric analyses. The results show a landscape marked by epistemological conflicts in which there is, on the one hand, a series of canonical theories that stress communication based on dialogue, relationship and symmetry and on the other hand research which continues to be based on instrumental evidence, message diffusion and measurable results of the audience response. The field shows clear thematic consolidation around crisis communication, digital environments, and corporate responsibility, alongside a predominance of descriptive and correlational designs and a continued reliance on a relatively stable set of canonical theories. At the same time, newer research agendas increasingly foreground ethical, political, and affective dimensions, challenging functionalist frameworks and pointing to a more gradual, uneven reconfiguration of the discipline. By articulating these patterns, the article contributes to ongoing debates on the epistemological development of public relations, highlighting the need to more closely align theoretical innovation, empirical practice, and rapidly evolving sociotechnical conditions.
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