Is nationalism bad public relations?
By Craig on Mar 18, 2010 in Public relations, Social issues, Strategic communication | View Comments
Nationalism is the antithesis of public relations. The former is inherently opposed to the notions of diversity, multiculturalism and the sharing of power. As such, it is exclusive and not representative of two-way symmetrical communication, the most meaningful and resonant underlying theory of public relations.
Nationalism, then, is bad PR. Or is it?
National days, like Australia Day and the USA’s Independence Day, are a symbolic representation of nationalism. They are pure spin, based – in contemporary society – on little more than hubris. Getting drunk, castigating minority groups and engagement in non-reflective activities such as sport are the lingua franca of national days. But is this true?
Couldn’t our governments adopt more of the essence of what public relations is about to help make our society a better place in which to exist? Applying the key themes of public relations means society would be more inclusive of difference by championing behavioural and cultural change. Integrating ‘promotions’ into these programs would attract and drive great subscription to them.
Nationalism, despite what its promoters say, is an insular activity – the property of the social majority. Australia struggles to represent, and be inclusive of, its indigenous community at normal times. On Australia Day the situation is magnified.
This is the day that represents the arrival of the English First Fleet (i.e. foreigners landing on, and claiming for their own, indigenous Australian soil!), after all. No surprise, then, that indigenous Australians have a problem with the ‘celebrations’.
Superiority is not good PR
Nationalism is characterised by people bragging about their country’s superiority, not its brotherhood or collegiality. It is contradictory to the notion of multiculturalism, a notion that Australia and the United States (try to) position themselves as representing.
And why should we promote our country as being better than others? We are all human beings. Implicit in nationalism is a condescension and sense of superiority over other countries and their people. That is hardly conducive to people getting along and creating a society where all constituents feel valued, feel like they belong and feel like they can achieve their dreams.
Australia Day focuses on the simplistic, the tacky. Reflective discussions on the nature of being Australian and living in Australia are thin on the ground.
Pride: the good and the bad
A valuable pride in one’s country is surely a quiet pride, not a chest-beating one. It is humble. Yet national days provide little perspective to enable this to occur.
Beating chests may well incite the likeminded, but it is almost certain to repulse and alienate those who are not. This is hardly, then, an inclusive behaviour. It is a divisive one. It is not reflective of key tenets of public relations:
- Dialogue – this is at the very heart of effective public relations – so how have governments worked to impact on the culture of Australian society through their management of national days?
- Embracing of a plurality of perspectives (i.e. diversity – this being wonderfully analogous to multiculturalism, which is not effectively celebrated on Australia Day)
- Tolerance – how often do we see this characteristic embodied on Australia Day?
- Collaborative (working together to generate fresh perspectives, new ideas and resolutions to issues). Without this, individual, organisational and societal potential will never be reached
- ‘Accommodation’ (i.e. accommodating the interests of each other)
- Empowering the marginalised; giving voice to the voiceless (thus helping develop social equity; one of the most meaningful and rewarding dimensions of public relations).
If governments adopted the tenets that underpin strategic public relations, it would lead to an enriched society, one where its indigenous and multicultural elements became more effectively integrated into our culture as a whole.
Government relations helping society
Governments have introduced a range of activities on Australia Day that are inclusive of multicultural and indigenous communities, but they seem to have little impact on the nature of its day or its mood. What hope do these superficial activities have when more fundamental, ongoing and ‘cultural connectivity’ policies and programs are clearly required?
It is these policies and programs (and legislation?) that have the potential to be the manifestation of a true public relations approach, one where structures and processes are changed to facilitate the equalisation of society and integration of its human elements.
Public relations is about all relevant people/entities changing their behaviour (and by implication modus operandi) to accommodate each other. It is not simply about raising awareness or pulling the wool over people’s eyes
Australia has failed to do this with indigenous Australian culture (and I have no optimism this will change), but that is no excuse not to keep working to right the wrongs that have occurred, as well as being more assertive in embracing those non-Anglo-Saxon cultures which have decided to embrace the schizophrenic beast of Oz culture.
What do you think about the arguments put forward in this post? Would nationalism be better if it replicated elements of best practice public relations? Are the fundamental underpinnings of nationalism inherently opposed to those of public relations?
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