Public Relations in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

Talal M. Almutairi is Assistant Professor at Saad Alabdulla Security Academy, Kuwait. Dean Kruckebergis a professor in the department of communication studies at UNC Charlotte. He is former co-chair of the Commission on Public Relations Education and is a past member of PRSA's national board.

• 1. Introduction 2. The Status and New Directions of Public Relations Practice in Bahrain 3. Public Relations in Kuwait: A Historical, Practical, and Theoretical Perspective 4. Public Relations Units in the Omani Civil Service Sector: Historical Background and Current Characteristics 5. Qatar Public Relations—In Focus 6. Public Relations in Saudi Arabia: An Islamic Perspective 7. A Critical Snapshot of the Practice of Public Relations in the United Arab 8. Conclusion

"For almost two decades, I have stressed the need to reduce ethnocentricity in public relations scholarship by bringing voices and experiences from other parts of the world into public relations research and pedagogy. This compilation of essays helps fulfil that need by bringing perspectives from the Middle-East, a region that has not been adequately represented in public relations scholarship.", Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Professor and Director of Professional Masters in Corporate Communication, University of Colorado, USA"This volume clearly shows that PR in the GCCC is more than C&D (coffee and dates). It is the first comprehensive examination by predominantly Arabic scholars of public relations in the six Gulf nations and promises to be the starting point for anyone interested in the region. Their work explores unique cultural, social and historical characteristics—and we find PR evolving rapidly, thriving in distinctive socio-cultural environments and maturing in a way that may surprise those unfamiliar with the region.", Kenneth Starck, former dean of the College of Communication and Media Sciences, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates,and former director of the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication, USA. Retired.