Author Meets Critics: A Strategic Nature: Public Relations and the Politics of American Environmentalism

This Author Meets Critics conversation focuses on A Strategic Nature: Public Relations and the Politics of American Environmentalism (Oxford University Press, 2021) by Melissa Aronczyk and Maria I. Espinoza. Aronczyk met with marketing and advertising specialists from various disciplines to discuss the following topics: the history of the relationship among strategic communication professionals, corporations, and public interest leaders and organizations; how public relations practitioners form an epistemic community shaping how clients and publics understand particular topics; the relationship between public relations and the environment; comparing approaches to environmentalism in China and the United States (coercion vs. consensus); the role of data in discussions around the environment and actions to address environmental and climate problems; public relations professionals’ seeking to benefit their self-interests in carrying out their work and choosing clients; powerful interests’ use of tools of persuasion and public relations over more coercive measures; the effectiveness of environmentalists’ strategies; concerns about overusing the language of “climate emergency”; and advice for students on how to navigate the complexities of working on environmental issues.