Face-to-face , first term, 30 hours of theory.

First term
Tuesday from 08:30 to 10:30 at 119 Marais 1100

English

• Students will be able to define and understand the differences and overlaps between corporate communication, public relations, marketing and corporate propaganda.
• Students will be able to define and discuss corporate communication, organizational communication and public relations from a critical theoretical vantage point.
• Students will be able to use and critically assess corporate communication and public relations terminology (e.g. stakeholder communication, corporate identity, image, reputation, communication strategy, branding, issue and crisis management, lobbying).
• Students will learn how to deconstruct corporate discourse, communication and public relations strategies and how to evaluate these messages critically.
• Students will be able to reflect critically on corporate social responsibility and ethical issues linked to the professional use of communication strategies in democratic societies.

For the Bachelor in Law :

For the Bachelor in Information and Communication :

For the Bachelor in Political Sciences: General :

For the Bachelor in Sociology and Anthropology :

For the Bachelor of Science in Business Engineering :

None

This course provides an introduction into organizational communication, corporate communication and public relations. The identities, attitudes and practices of consumers, clients, stakeholders and citizens are targets for highly trained professionals that aim to shape the image and reputation of particular corporations, companies and brands. We will approach corporate entities as structures of organizational control. The course is divided into three main parts.

First of all, we will focus on the history, the language, the concepts and the practices of organizational communication as they developed since the early 20th century. Doing so we will focus increasingly on matters of identity regulation within commercial and non-commercial organizations.

Secondly, we will focus on the way organizations communicate with other stakeholders such as consumers, politicians, pressure groups and so on. This brings us closer to the domain of corporate communication and public relations proper. Topics such as reputation management, crisis communication, public opinion, and corporate social responsibility will be dealt with. We will ask if there is a difference between PR, spin, storytelling and corporate propaganda.

Thirdly, students will be provided with an introduction into critical discourse analysis in order to analyze corporate identities, brands, narratives and documents. A critical stance towards corporate communication and PR implies a consideration of the relation between corporate actors, the media and democratic decision-making processes. Issues such as whitewashing and diversity in organizations may also offer fruitful topics of discussion. Based on this introduction into critical discourse analysis, we will collectively analyze a case study. Examples of potential case studies include the on- and offline communication of the Belgian Nuclear Forum, Facebook's crisis communication after the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Fourthly, students are required to present a critical analysis of a case study in corporate communication and/or PR in class. Students are free to propose cases of their own but need approval from the professor before presenting their work.

Lectures in combination with collective discussions of assigned texts.

In order to facilitate discussions we will make use of a ‘puzzle' method whereby students will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with each other before presenting their results to class.

Throughout the course, students are expected to read a series of obligatory texts and to reflect on materials provided via Moodle.

January exam session (first term)

In the January exam session, students will be evaluated on the basis of two components:

• Written exam: 70%
• Group presentation: 30%

One does not need to succeed both components separately to pass the course.

Students are required to be present during all group presentations. Failure to attend these presentations without proper justification will result automatically in a 0/20 for that student's group presentation in the January exam session.

If exams cannot be held on campus due to COVID19 regulations, the exam will be organized online via Moodle. This will be a written exam with open-ended questions.

June exam session (second term)

Students who failed the course in the January session will be evaluated on the basis of two components:

• Written exam: 70%
• Group presentation or individual paper assignment: 30%

One does not need to succeed both components separately to pass the course.


Students who did not pass the course in the January session but who did pass the group presentation may keep the point of their group presentation.

Alternatively, students who did not pass the course in the January session but who did pass the group presentation may also write an individual paper to replace the points obtained for the group presentation in January. The topic of the individual assignment needs to be agreed upon in collaboration with the professor.

Students who did not pass the course in the January exam session and who did not pass the group presentation may also write an individual paper to replace the points obtained for the group presentation in January. If students do not do this they will simply retain the points obtained in the January session. The topic of the individual paper needs to be agreed upon in collaboration with the professor.

If exams cannot be held on campus due to COVID19 regulations, the exam will be organized online via Moodle. This will be a written exam with open-ended questions.

Students will be provided with a selection of texts and audio-visual resources. The following bibliography is not exhaustive or complete but is indicative of the matters we will discuss in class.

Alvesson, M., & Karreman, D. (2000). Varieties of discourse: on the study of organizations through discourse analysis. Human Relations, 53(9), 1125-1149.

Alvesson, M., & Willmott, H. (2002). Identity regulation as organizational control: Producing the appropriate individual. Journal of Management Studies, 39(5), 619-644. doi:10.1111/1467-6486.00305

Breeze, R. (2013). Corporate discourse. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Butterick, K. (2011). Introducing public relations: theory and practice. London: Sage.

Cornelissen, J. (2014). Corporate communication: a guide to theory and practice. London: Sage Publications.

L'Etang, J., McKie, D., Snow, N., & Xifra, J. (Eds.). (2017). The Routledge handbook of critical public relations. London / New York: Routledge.

L'Etang, J. (2011). Public Relations: concepts, practice and critique. London: Sage Publications.

Mumby, D. K. (2013). Organizational communication: a critical approach. London: Sage Publications.

Miller, D., & Dinan, W. (2008). A century of spin: how public relations became the cutting edge of corporate power. London: Pluto Press.


Recommended readings and audio-visual resources will be provided via the online forum Moodle.