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Abstract

The history of public relations uses historical methodology to examine non-establishment and even outlaw discourses, the strategies of challenging and seeking to change a dominant culture. As we explore contexts in which public relations occurs, especially that which is ‘non-’ or anti-establishment, we are able to use such cases to examine theories (which typically favor the establishment) and their constructions of public relations, including relevant best practices. Terrorism, when it is not sponsored by a state seeking to control through terror, is an especially valuable context for study because of its association with social movement activism and change management. The analysis in this paper examines the public relations role of terrorism (1) in the context of intuitively applied, traditional best practices and (2) as the rhetorical advocacy/discursive approach to issues advocacy contests leading to change management through contested principles of social capital. To that end, this case examines the abolitionist career of John Brown who publicized the cruelty of slavery and advocated its abolition with violence if necessary. Violence jarred a nation into action, but violence can only succeed if it achieves legitimacy through earned social capital, that being the public relations challenge facing terrorists and their supporters.

Keywords

John Brown public relations social capital slave revolt terrorism

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John Brown,public relations,terrorism,and social capital: ‘His Truth Goes Marching On’

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