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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, PUBLIC RELATIONS and CRISES of DEMOCRACY and ECOLOGY by Simon John En

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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, PUBLIC RELATIONS and CRISES of DEMOCRACY and ECOLOGY by Simon John En THE POTEMKIN CORPORATION: CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CRISES OF DEMOCRACY AND ECOLOGY by Simon John Enoch BA HONS, University of Regina MA, McMaster University A dissertation presented to Ryerson University and York University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Ryerson University/York University Joint Graduate Programme in Communication and Culture Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2009 © Simon John Enoch, 2009 Library and Archives Bibliothèque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l’édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-58998-4 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-58998-4 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non- L’auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l’Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non- support microforme, papier, électronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L’auteur conserve la propriété du droit d’auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protège cette thèse. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent être imprimés ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author’s permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformément à la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privée, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont été enlevés de thesis. cette thèse. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n’y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis or dissertation. I authorize Ryerson University to lend this thesis or dissertation to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. ——————————————— I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this thesis or dissertation by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. ——————————————— ii Acknowledgements At various times in the process of writing this dissertation, when the task before me seemed insurmountable and confusion and doubt reigned, I would frequently fantasize about writing the acknowledgements section. Whether this was to project myself into a seemingly distant future in an attempt to rally myself back to work, I can’t be sure. What can be said is that of all the hoops one is forced to jump though during this process, this is one I jump through readily. First and foremost I must thank my supervisor, Dr. John Shields who figuratively moved mountains to get me through the program. His constant support and good humour throughout my doctoral work served to reinvigorate my energies and my sense of purpose. I feel very privileged to have had John in my corner over the past six years. I also must thank my other committee members, Scott Forsyth and Colin Mooers, who also went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that my dissertation was ready for defence. I must also thank Colin for teaching me Raymond Williams during my first year at Ryerson. Colin’s insights and passion for Marxist theory has shaped my own views of the world in profound ways, so I am quite glad I wandered into his office and begged him to teach me British Cultural Studies when no one else would! David McIntosh and Bryan Evans provided keen insights and valuable observations as my external reviewers that I know will shape my future research, so for that I thank the both of them. Many people from my past got me to this stage in my graduate career. Nick Bonokoski and Amber Alecxe have been with me since our humble beginnings as doe- eyed polisci students at the University of Regina. Their friendship and support throughout my academic career has helped me through so many of the ups and downs of graduate life. The crazy idea to pursue multiple graduate degrees would not have entered my mind had it not been for the encouragement of Joyce Green, Phil Hansen, Wayne Lewchuk and Don Wells. Their belief in my abilities and support of my early work gave me the confidence necessary to succeed in graduate school. David Miller of the University of Strathclyde deserves special mention for inspiring so much of my work and for always iii offering his advice whenever I sought it. Carmen Schifellite and Deborah Britzman were probably the best teaching mentors a graduate student could have. Any skills I have in the classroom I owe to the both of them. I must also thank Jake, Liz and Jebby for giving me so many well-fed weekend retreats and Veen for being my late-night sounding board. Even if they didn’t always know what the hell I was doing, they provided me with the friendship and support I needed to get through it all. Lastly, I have to give infinite thanks to Bronco for pulling my fat out of the fire so many times. He has shown me the true meaning of the word “comrade,” and I only hope I can pay back all his advice and support in some small way. Finally, I must thank my Mum, Dad and sister, who have always given me unconditional love and support throughout my academic career. It probably lasted a lot longer than they initially expected, but they never ceased to encourage me. So, look Ma I’m a Doctor! iv Abstract Author: Simon John Enoch Dissertation Title: The Potemkin Corporation: Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Relations and Crises of Democracy and Ecology. Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Programme Name: Joint Graduate Programme in Communication and Culture University Details: Ryerson University/York University Date: May 6, 2009 This dissertation examines the historic relationship between corporate social responsibility, public relations and corporate power. Using a qualitative historical analysis and the theoretical tools of Marxism, this study argues that CSR and corporate public relations need to be viewed as modes of corporate power that have been historically deployed to re-assert and defend corporate hegemony in periods of democratic challenge and popular agitation. However, while originally deployed in tandem with corporate public relations, CSR has emerged in our current conjuncture as a profound source of corporate legitimacy in its own right. The success of CSR as a new mode of corporate legitimation is premised on its ability to constrain democratic pressures both discursively and materially; discursively through the ideological representation of the corporation as a benevolent and even democratic institution capable of regulating itself in the public interest; and materially through the promotion of corporate-inspired policies and regimes of corporate governance that allow for the private appropriation of previously public goods and functions of democratic government. This duality of CSR is most manifest in the corporate response to environmental crisis, which has strained not only the legitimacy of the corporation but also that of the capitalist system of production. This study investigates the tactics through which CSR has enabled business to transform itself into the preeminent environmental steward while v simultaneously advancing policies that further corporate interests while circumscribing avenues for popular participation in issues of environmental concern. Therefore, CSR should be viewed not only as a strategy to curtail democratic opposition to corporate power, but also as a means to expand and deepen corporate power as it is used to grant ever-greater autonomy and authority to corporations over areas previously deemed the sole purview of the democratic state. vi CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................1 CHAPTER ONE: THEORY AND METHOD .......................................... 16 CHAPTER TWO: PUBLIC RELATIONS HISTORY, CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE............................................................. 33 CHAPTER THREE: "THE SCHOOL, THE PULPIT AND THE PRESS:" PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CORPORATE POWER, 1900-1950 ............ 69 CHAPTER FOUR: "DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA IS WORKING ALL TOO WELL:" CORPORATE PUBLIC RELATIONS, CSR AND THE CRISIS OF DEMOCRACY IN THE SEVENTIES .................................. 103 CHAPTER FIVE: "THE LIFE AND DEATH BATTLE OF THE NINETIES:" ENVIRONMENTALISM, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE RISE OF CSR .......................................................................................... 129 CHAPTER SIX: "DISASTER TRIUMPHANT:" ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS AND THE POLITICS OF ACCOMMODATION ....................... 160 CHAPTER SEVEN: "THE MAJOR AGENT OF CHANGE:" ENTRENCHING CSR AND THE CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTION.............................................................................................
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