From Plato to Twitter: A History of Influence, Media, and Public Opinion

This graduate seminar will analyze the history of Public Relations and its application to contemporary global practice. While the profession of Public Relations is only a century old, man has been practicing the art of influencing public attitudes since the dawn of civilization. Looking at world history through the lens of Public Relations, one can see how many of the events that have changed the course of history were triggered through campaigns to influence attitudes, opinions, and behaviors. While the channels may have evolved through the years — from stone tablets and papyrus scrolls to social media — the underlying magic of influencing opinion is still the same: understanding human behavior. This is as true for today’s practitioner conducting a media campaign as it was when Thomas Paine handed out pamphlets.