PR and local government are not always an easy mix, so it seems. The first seems to be stuck with a reputation of being advertising, selling ideas to reluctant receives and the second carries a fame of bureaucracy and difficult and complicated processes on on hand with out forgetting one main task of Finnish municipalities which is providing citizens a place where they can have a say on matters that concern their daily life (=democracy). How are these to be combined (and why should they)? Do municipalities succeed in this? What is the situation in other countries (here it might be interesting to look at other Scandinavian countries because their systems remind ours)? How did PR enter the world of local government? What kind of theories are used and have affected local government PR? What is and has been the role of PR professionals? What is the relationship between democracy and PR (this is my special interest with a background in political science!)? What is the future of PR in local government?
This blog is an attempt to analyse these questions as well as others that may seem interesting in this framework.
And please do hint me with interesting articles (scientific or other) on PR in local government and tell me about your experiences in Finland or elsewhere. What is your view of PR in local government? Is it existing, does it function and how has it touched your lives (or ha sit)?
