last conference before completion

just back from Stirling 21, the academic conference for PR and comms people, brilliantly  organised by Jaquie L’Etang and team, including glorious weather.
Primary observation is the quality of papers and thought on offer: all the presentations I went to were driven by ideas not data: on the relationship between PR and anthropology, PR in fiction, [...]

Jungian studies conference – reflections

Still thinking about how wonderful the Jungian studies conference in Cardiff was. My own presentation went fine, though a v small audience as the previous session had overrun and everyone needed a break, but that wasn’t a problem as I had terrific conversations with a variety of interesting people, all of whom were encouraging about [...]

back from Chicago

Successful International communications Association conference in Chicago – excellent range of papers and presentations – including final plenary from Naomi Klein reflecting on post-Obama emotions (the fluctuating hope levels she describes as a ‘hopercoaster’).
My Jung and PR paper went down v well (all the better for not using power point – everyone battered by graphs [...]

Launch of new Institute

http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/index_spirituality_under_spotlight.htm
Terrific launch event on Dec 5 for Leeds Met’s new Institute for Spirituality, Religion and Public Life. Had thought it would be too long (3.30 – 7.30 ) but it was beautifully planned and executed, with an introductory talk from Stephen Paul on the meanings associated with the Institute’s title which raised a series of [...]

Whistleblowers conference

Excellent conference last Friday at what used to be the London College of Printing (now London College of Communication) where I started teaching in 1990 on a course that had previously been titled Publicity and Packaging, showing its roots, but which became PR and Media relations in various guises. I’ll never forget the realisation that [...]

Conferenced out – pt 2

So, on to the next gathering: the conference on professional ethics organised by the Professional Association Research Network (PARN) and the Centre for Applied Ethics (CAPE) at Kingston University, which was a stimulating gathering of senior professionals, representatives from professional bodies and a scattering of academics. Having had several discussions in Stirling about the relationship [...]

Conferenced out – pt 1

There are little windows in the university teaching cycle – one after marking/exam boards but before everyone flees the country and another after their return and before the hoards descend – and in these interstices the year’s academic conferences flourish.
Hence I spent Sunday to Tuesday at the end of June/early July at the first [...]