Sociodrama: An Interpretive Theory for the Practice of Public Relations. This item is unavailable.Sociodrama: An Interpretive Theory for the Practice of Public Relations

In this unique book, Thomas Mickey looks at public relations from a humanistic definition that is focused on understanding publics rather than controlling them or predicting their behavior. Most public relations books assume several theories, which are more positivist in their approach, because they view public relations as a science. Sociodrama moves beyond that assumption to take public relations as a form of interaction. In this application of the theory of Sociodrama to public relations, Mickey describes Sociodrama's focus on language as the way to constitute the organization rather than as a tool to get something done. The author explains how the theory of Sociodrama proposes elements and levels of a drama present in our language. His study makes use of 2 qualitative research methodologies: focus groups and Q sorting, with a whole chapter of the book devoted to case studies. Mickey's study allows students to obtain a different view of public relations and makes the reader aware of the drama in the language of the organizations and the language of the public. The practitioner can use the knowledge gained from this book to interact in a way which builds a relationship with the publics, talking with them, and not to them.

Thomas J. Mickey is Professor of Communications at Bridgewater State College.