Michaela O'Brien from the University of Westminster - Ethics and professionalisation - Is professionalisation - the NGO-isation of social change - at the heart of its problems?

1. Ethics and professionalisation
- an Ignite talk
Michaela O’Brien
University of Westminster
http://westminster.ac.uk/MACampaigning
@michaelao

2. “The institutionalization associated with
professionalization is already evident
through the disproportionate recruitment
of middle-class activists and the fear of
‘social movement bureaucrats, more
interested in forwarding their own
organizations and careers than in the
welfare of their own constituencies’ ”
Jacquie L’Etang (2015)

3. Disparate range of
campaign
communicators
& campaigning
organisations

4. What makes a profession?
1. Commitment to social values e.g. health or justice
2. Clear entry route - education / criteria /
qualifications
3. Body of knowledge (and best practice)
4. Professional bodies
5. Codes of conduct - commitment to ethical practice
Adapted from Fawkes, J (2017), Public relations professionalism and ethics in
Tench, R, and Yeomans, L (eds) Exploring Public Relations, Global Strategic
Communication, 4th ed Pearson pages 248-265

5. Benefits of professionalisation
Legitimacy = access
Best practice is captured and shared
Professional planning > better outcomes
Status inside organisations (cf fundraising etc)
Ethical and responsible practice

6. Drawbacks of professionalisation
Can limit access to campaigning
Best practice can stifle new approaches and
innovation
Can exclude those most affected by issues
from the discussion
Ethical practice – who decides what that looks
like?

7. Tackling ethical dilemmas
Parsons (2008)

8. For more information
Pieczka M and L'Etang J: PR and the Question of Professionalism in L'Etang J and Pieczka M (2006)
Public Relations: Critical debates and contemporary practice, Lawrence Erlbaum pp 265-279
Tench and Yeomans (2013) 3rd edition Exploring PR FT /Prentice Hall, chapter 12 Professionalism
and ethics pp 217 229— available as an e-book
Parsons, P. (2008) Ethics in PR
WANGO codes of ethics http://www.wango.org/codeofethics.aspx and IPRA Code of Conduct
https://www.ipra.org/member-services/code-of-conduct/
UN Women ethics on campaigning against gendered violence:
http://www.endvawnow.org/en/articles/1163-adhering-to-ethics-in-campaigning-.html
and look at the websites of the NCVO, Charity Comms, the Sheila McKechnie Foundation and the
Institute of Communications Ethics http://www.communicationethics.net/home/index.php