Strategic Communication Ethics

Combining a foundation in ethical theory and moral philosophy with practical examples and professional applications, this text provides a framework for understanding ethics in public relations and strategic communication.

Ethics is important, controversial, complex, and essential to society and all communication contexts. The book offers numerous approaches to problem-solving that can be used in professional communication to resolve, counsel on, and communicate about ethical dilemmas. Topics discussed include issues management, crisis communication, research, listening, negotiation, organizational culture, values management, and ethics counselling. The text uses examples and scenarios to demonstrate ethical concepts and to apply ethical analysis frameworks to strategic management decisions for problem-solving and communication. AI is a recurring concern throughout the text and cases, and it is framed as both an opportunity and a threat requiring moral courage, rigorous analysis, and ethical discernment. The book concludes with an Appendix of AI Guidelines and Regulations.

This is a primary textbook for an ethics in public relations/strategic communication course or a supplementary text for more general courses that wish to include comprehensive coverage of ethics. A legal chapter is included for courses combining ethics and law.

Online resources include PowerPoint lecture slides, a sample syllabus, exam questions for each chapter, case discussion questions/solutions, suggestions for out-of-class film viewing, and additional readings. Please visit www.routledge.com/9781032816630.