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Biography - Edward L. Bernays
(1891-1995)
The inclusion of Bernays in a series of reference handouts relating to influential "gurus" in the fields of business/management was prompted by his death in 1995. At that time there were a number of obituaries which outlined the career of the "father of public relations" (see, for example, The New York Times, March 10, 1995, Sect. B., p.7 and The Boston Herald, March 10, 1995, p.061). Bernays taught the first course in public relations at NYU in 1923 and one of his early works, The Engineering of Consent, "offers a revealing look at the ideas that have come to inform the exercise of political and economic power in our time. The essay remains one of the clearest statements of the assumptions and strategies that have guided public relations practices in the United States since the war's end". (Ewan, PR! The Social History of SPIN, HM263.E849 ). Additional information about Bernays and the subject of "public relations" is provided below.
Selected Books and Articles by Edward Bernays
Biography of an Idea: Memoirs of a Public Relations Counsel,HM263.B388.
The Case for Reappraisal of U.S. Overseas Information Policies and Programs, E744.5.C357
Crystallizing Public Opinion, HM263.B39.
The Engineering of Consent, HM263.B4.
Propaganda, HM263.B42
Public Relations, HM263.B43
"Should Public Relations Counsel Be Licensed?", in Perspectives in Public Relations, Raymond
Simon, ed., p.79. HM263.S53.
Selected Books and Articles About Edward Bernays
For a start, see "Visiting Edward Bernays" which is the first chapter in Stuart Ewan's PR! A Social History of SPIN (HM263.E849). See also the two chapters on Bernays in The Unseen Power: Public Relations (HM263.C785) by Scott Cutlip. See especially the "Notes on Sources" on p.190-192. Included among the sources is one bibliography on Bernays which is not available at UWO: Public Relations: Edward L. Bernays and the American Scene, A Bibliography, by Keith Larson. In addition to the obituaries noted above, see also: "Bernays, Edward L." in Facts on File, Mar. 16, 1995, Vol.55, No. 2833, p.204 (D410.F33) and "Edward L. Bernays" in Time, Mar. 20, 1995, Vol.145, No.11, p.23.
In 1998 a new biography was published: Larry Tye, The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays & the Birth of Public Relations(HM263.T94). For reviews see: The Columbia Journalism Review (Nov./Dec. 1998); The Economist (Oct. 17, 1998); Business Week (Aug. 17, 1998) and Publishers Weekly (Aug. 3, 1998)
For additional material relating to the broader subject of Public Relations, see the publications listed below.
Public Relations
For many, the concept of "public relations" is more likely to be associated with P.T. Barnum, than E.L. Bernays and with "propaganda" rather than "publicity". In this era of "Spin Doctors", PR People are often suspected of "engineering consent" or putting a spin on events rather than merely illuminating them. Nonetheless, the history of the vocation of "PR" is both more interesting and complicated than the current image of the profession would suggest. For good introductions to the subject see these two works which have been mentioned above: Ewan's PR! The Social History of SPIN, and Cutlip's Public Relations: The Unseen Power - A History. For a solid introductory essay, see "Public Relations" in Vol. 13 of the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences.
Additional books are easy to locate since "public relations" is a recognized subject heading. Using that term as a subject, one can readily locate books in the Western Libraries.
Articles can also be located quickly by searching a variety of databases such as ProQuest or Business Source Complete; ask a Librarian for assistance in choosing and using such electronic resources. Sample sources are provided below.
There are two good bibliographies that are quite helpful. Those interested in the moral dimensions of "PR" should consult Public Relations & Ethics: A Bibliography, by Ferre and Willihnganz (Z7164.P957F47). A broader approach is available in Passarelli's Public Relations in Business, Government and Society: A Bibliographic Guide (Z7164.P957P37). Those researching "PR" in the business sphere should see the section on "Corporate Public Relations" where the subject is further divided into the following components: "Image Building"; "Advocacy Advertising"; "Issues Management"; "Political Action Committees"; "Corporate Philanthropy" and "Corporate Social Responsibility", etc.
For a specifically Canadian work, one has to rely heavily on the older Public Relations in Canada: Some Perspectives, ed. by Herbert and Jenkins (HM 263.P793). Some sample chapters: "A Brief History and Review of Public Relations in Canada"; "Assessing Canadian Public Opinion" and sections on various industries and such things as "Canadian Public Relations Education and Training".
For a good general overview of the "PR Function" in the business world see the Economist Intelligence Unit Management Guide Why You Need Public Relations by Laura Mazur ( HM 263.M216). Apart from providing some interesting case studies, this work also lists "PR Firms" by country.
As noted, articles are readily available via such databases as ProQuest or Business Source Complete. To sample one journal in the field, peruse the Public Relations Strategist which is available online.
