Public relations and globalization: Building a case for cultural competency in public relations education

Numerous studies of American news coverage of September 11, 2001, reported unsettling jingoistic and stereotyping tendencies in the stories. These findings are not surprising. Media critics have argued that news reflects "the interests of established political and economic elites" and is biased toward a "consensus of national values and ideology." This paper explores how public relations educators in the U.S. and U.A.E. could take the lead in developing courses that explore the evolution of American and Middle Eastern cultures. It will analyze how adding cultural competency to the list of skills and competencies required in our educational programs presents an opportunity to educate a generation that will accept difference and value a global culture separate from national identity.