Unmasked: Public relations' struggle for legitimacy in post- World War II West Germany

This thesis offers new insights into the conceptual distinction between public relations and propaganda, by examining public relations' 're-birth' in post-World War II West Germany. The findings suggest that public relations presented an identity that masked its true identity as self-advantaging communication that, in the same way as propaganda, seeks to reinforce or modify the attitudes and/or behaviour of an audience to advantage the communicator. In an era of digital disruption and 'fake news', as public relations again faces challenges of legitimacy, this research raises questions about truth, transparency and accountability for public relations, both as an academic discipline and a profession.