Mapping Public Relations in Europe: Writing National Histories against the US Paradigm

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to recall the early historical development of public relations (PR) in five European countries so as to trace the emergence of the study and teaching of PR as a profession in Europe as compared to the United States. In light of recent accounts of the history of PR, the main goal of this study is to contribute to a comparative, international historical narrative by providing an overview of the main events that shaped the early stages of the profession in the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany and Spain