Abstract
Cronin uses empirical material to argue that charity PR or communications create a particular form of bond with the public which reworks social values in a shifting neoliberal context. The chapter outlines how charity fundraising and the publics that are addressed by charity PR have become a newly intensified site of controversy and struggle. Charities compete more intensively with each other for funding, while charities’ targeting of publics has become highly contentious. Cronin argues that charities now offer forms of social contract or ‘promise’ as the conventional social contract between government and the people is becoming debased and distrusted. This reframes the significance of emotion in charity campaigns as it references the broken promises of neoliberal capitalism and democracy.
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Notes
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There’s considerable debate about the definition of, and categorical distinctions between, NGOs, charities, voluntary groups, pressure groups, and the third sector (see Hilton et al. 2012). I use the term charity here while recognising the wide range of forms of third sector organisations. The UK’s Charity Commission outlines the regulations that, under the Charities Act, a ‘charity’ is ‘an institution which is established for charitable purposes only’ and ‘is subject to the control of the High Court’s charity law jurisdiction’ and ‘it must be for public benefit.’ The Charity Commission gives examples of ‘charitable purposes’ as: ‘the prevention or relief of poverty; the advancement of education; the advancement of religion; the advancement of health or the saving of lives.’ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-makes-a-charity-cc4/what-makes-a-charity-cc4. Accessed 16/10/17. Organisations cannot be charities if they have a ‘political purpose.’ ‘However, a charity can carry out “political activity” if it facilitates or supports the delivery of its charitable purposes. It may also carry out non-political campaigning activities if this clearly is a means of furthering its charitable purposes.’ Examples of political purposes are furthering the interests of a particular political party; securing or opposing any change in the law, whether in the UK or overseas; and securing or opposing a change in the policy or decisions of central government or local authorities or other public bodies, whether in the UK or overseas.’ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-makes-a-charity-cc4/what-makes-a-charity-cc4#annex-b. Accessed 16/10/17.
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http://www.edelman.com/trust2017/. Accessed 4/7/17.
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Cronin, A.M. (2018). Charity PR and the Production of Social Values. In: Public Relations Capitalism. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72637-3_4
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