The Practice of Government Public Relations (ASPA Series in Public Administration and Public Policy)

In addition to traditional management tools, government administrators require a fundamental understanding of the tools available to address the ever-changing context of government communications. Examining the ins and outs of the regulations influencing public information, The Practice of Government Public Relations unveils novel ways to integrate cutting-edge technologies―including Web 2.0 and rapidly emerging social media―to craft and maintain a positive public image.

Expert practitioners with extensive government communications experience address key topics of interest and provide an up-to-date overview of best practices. They examine the specifics of government public relations and detail a hands-on approach for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the wide-ranging aspects of government public relations―including how to respond during a crisis.In addition to the tools provided on the accompanying downloadable resources, most chapters include a Best Practice Checklist to help you successfully utilize the communication strategies outlined in the book.

Focusing on the roles of government managers enacting policies adopted by elected officials and politicians, this book is ideal for program managers seeking innovative and inexpensive ways to accomplish their programs’ missions. While no manager can be an expert in all aspects of public administration, this book helps you understand the external communications tools available to advance the mission and results of your agency.

About the Editors:

Mordecai Lee is a professor of governmental affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In the field of government public relations, he authored Congress vs. the Bureaucracy: Muzzling Agency Public Relations (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2011) and The First Presidential Communications Agency: FDR’s Office of Government Reports (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2005). He also was the editor of Government Public Relations: A Reader (Boca Raton, FL: Taylor & Francis, 2008). Before joining the academy, Dr. Lee served as Legislative Assistant to a Congressman; was elected to three terms in the Wisconsin Legislature’s State Assembly and two terms in the State Senate; and was executive director of a faith-based nonprofit involved in public policy advocacy.

Grant Neeley received his B.A. and M.P.A. from Texas A&M and his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Tennessee in 1996. He has served on the faculties of Texas Tech and Ball State and joined the University of Dayton as an associate professor in 2005. He is the director of the MPA program and teaches courses in political science and public administration. His primary research interest is public policy and administration, but he has conducted research in the areas of urban politics, political behavior, and interest groups. His work has appeared in the American Journal of Public Health, Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, Public Performance & Management Review, Policy Studies Journal, State and Local Government Review, and Evaluation Review. Dr. Neeley currently serves on the executive council of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. During 2010–2011 he was mobilized as Press Desk Officer, J9–Strategic Communications, US Forces Iraq, and serves as a Reserve Public Affairs Officer in the United States Navy attached to the Commander, 5th Fleet in Bahrain.

Kendra Stewart is an associate professor and director of the Master of Public Administration Program at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. Her research interests include state government reorganization, government and press relations, nonprofit networks, and homeland security. The articles she has authored have appeared in The Practice of Strategic Collaboration: From Silos to Actions, Urban Affairs Review, Public Finance and Management, Frontiers, Perspective in Politics, and various scholarly books. Prior to her current position, Professor Stewart was a faculty member at Eastern Kentucky University and worked for the state of South Carolina in public information and other capacities.