Towards a New Understanding of Masculine Habitus and Women and Leadership in Public Relations

Martina Topić is a Reader at Leeds Beckett University, UK. She was project lead for the British Academy funded project on Women in UK’s Advertising Industry, HEFCE-funded project on Women in British Journalism, HEFCE-funded projects on Women in PR and research-based teaching and student satisfaction. She currently leads the EUPRERA research network on women in public relations (previously a project lead, 2018–2021) and she is a research lead for the #WECAN project (Women Empowered through Coaching and Networking), funded by the European Social Fund and Department of Work and Pensions. She is an editor of the section Culture, Media and Film of Cogent Arts and Humanities Open Access journal (Taylor and Francis), editor-in-chief of Corporate Communications: An International Journal, editor-in-chief of Northern Lights: Film & Media Yearbook and editor-in-chief of the book series ‘Women, Economics and the Labour Relations’. Martina is the author of Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Affairs in the British Press: An Ecofeminist Critique of Neoliberalism (Routledge, 2021).

"Martina Topić offers a unique approach in the field of women and leadership. Moving a step further from the EUPRERA project which Martina is leading entitled "Women in Public Relations" the book extends to research and set an organizational and sociological inquiry in the position of women in PR by drawing from Aldoory and Toth’s socio-ecological framework and ecofeminism. Martina edited a clear and at the same time critical book which explores the cultural masculinities and habitus perspectives under which women live and work. The book is like a mini-encyclopedia of the scholarship covering women and leadership in PR. The depth of research undertaken in all chapters complements the originality of the idea."- Dr. Anastasios Theofilou, Bournemouth University, UK, author of Women in PR History"The book ‘Towards a new understanding of masculine habitus and women and leadership in public relations’, edited by Martina Topić, gives completely new insights into women's leadership in the so-called feminine dominated public relations. In addition to upgrading and deepening the insight into the dominance of structural barriers in building the managerial careers of women employed in public relations, the internalization of the so-called masculine practices in ambition towards career advancement and "lack of recognition within the organization but also at a wider level with the lack of professional recognition of PR as a field", a great contribution of this book is in a specific call for socio-ecological and ecofeminist approaches to studying public relations. The book can be roughly divided into four major sections. In the first part, a quality overview of existing research on women and leadership in public relations suggests further research. The second part presents case studies on women and leadership in public relations from several different countries (United States, Latin America, England, Greece, Georgia (Europe), Czech Republic, Turkey). In some of these countries, for the first time, this type of research has been conducted. The third unit provides an overview of leadership in public relations by women who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and contribution to the field (Belle Moskowitz, Ronèl Rensburg, Nicola Sturgeon). The final unit covers the area using a critical qualitative method and focus on an in-depth understanding of the meaning women assign to their role using small interview samples. This book is a worthwhile read for all students and researchers of gender (in)equality in the business community, public relations practices. Still, it is also an invitation to question the role of public relations in today's global world, in the first place gender inequality, but also environmental degradation. These two problems have the same origin - the hierarchical, patriarchal culture in which we live, and this book is an excellent call to action to deconstruct the unjust system in which we live."- Dr. Mirela Holy, VERN University, Croatia, author of Mythological aspects of ecofeminism

• 1 Introduction: Is It a One Big Habitus? SECTION I Women and Leadership in Public Relations: A Synthesis of Existing Research and the Way Forward 2 From Public Relations Management to Leadership: A Critical Turn 3 Women and Leadership in Public Relations and Communication Management: Developing a Rhizomatic Typology of Knowledge and Professional Development as an Ecological Radical Feminine Perspective SECTION II Something Old is New Again – Women and Leadership in Public Relations from West to East 4 Barriers to Leadership Advancement in an Age of Turbulence: Perspectives from Women in PR in the United States 5 Who takes the Blame? Factors of the Perpetuation of the Glass Ceiling in Public Relations and Strategic Communication in Latin America 6 "I have found with women I have had some really good female bosses, but a lot of them can get quite bitchy": Leadership Styles, Socialisation and Blokishness in Public Relations Industry in England 7 Women and Leadership in Public Relations in Greece 8 Career Development and Leadership Opportunities in Public Relations from Georgian Perspective 9 Women’s Leadership in the Public Relations Profession: Attitudes, Opinions and Communication Styles 10 Women Public Relations Leaders’ Perception of a Gendered Profession 11 Investigating Women as Public Relations Leaders in Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia SECTION III The Women’s Leadership in Public Relations: Case Studies of Inspirational Women’s Leadership in Public Relations 12 A Public Relations "Woman of Valor" Belle Moskowitz as a Strategist for Social and Political Change 13 Excellent Academic and Research Leadership from South Africa 14 ‘She’s Played a Blinder’: Nicola Sturgeon as a Crisis Leader and Change Agent in Scotland SECTION IV Critical and Post-feminist Perspectives 15 "It’s Trivial, Bitchy and Dull" – Why Women Leave Public Relations and How They Renegotiate Their Identities 16 The Black Swans of Public Relations: Folk Theory, Female Entrepreneurship, and Post-Feminism