"Over the centuries, scholars have studied how individuals, institutions and groups have used various rhetorical stances to persuade others to believe in and adopt a course of action. The emergence and establishment of public relations as an identifiable and discrete occupation in the early 20th...

Purpose – The aim of this work is to explore Edward L. Bernays' early evolution in thought concerning the rationale for public relations and to briefly discuss how these emergent ideological concepts have proven foundational for contemporary public relations. Design/methodology/approach –...