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Holtzhausen, Derina and Ansgar Zerfass (Eds.) The Routledge Handbook of Strategic Communication. New York and London: Routledge, 2015. Pp. v, 596. ISBN 978-0-415-53001-9 (cloth) $205.00; 978-0- 20309444-0 (e-book) $164.00.
Derina Holtzhausen and Ansgar Zerfass' edited collection addresses the interdisciplinary nature of strategic communication through a series of four key areas of emphasis. This book provides an admirable selection of stand-alone articles about the origins and disciplines of strategic communication. The handbook is best suited for graduate level instruction or for advanced academics interested in learning more in-depth about this emerging discipline. The editors note that this book is the "first comprehensive review of research in the strategic communication domain" (p. xxiv).
Much of the book consists of examples and concepts surrounding the strategic communicators' neverending quest to change attitudes and behaviors of their public(s) whether through public relations, advertising, organizational communication, leadership, and more. In addition, the impact of a variety of communication channels are considered-especially the impact of social media.
The four key areas of emphasis in this handbook include conceptual foundations of strategic communication (eight chapters), institutional and organizational dimensions (again, eight chapters), implementing strategic communication (six chapters), and domains of practice (15 chapters).
This book provides an excellent resource for an in-depth look at the way that the discipline of strategic communication came into being through the chapters in the first key area of conceptual foundations. Holtzhausen and Zerfass begin the discussion with a look at strategic communication as "an umbrella concept embracing various goal-directed communication activities" (p. 3) and provide an historical record of definitions of strategic communication from its early beginnings in government and military. The authors highlight one of the components of the definitions- that of the public vs. private sphere and controlling public dialogue-as being inherent to the role of strategic communication.
Other chapters in this handbook detail in depth many of the concepts from the first chapter. Howard Nothhaft and Hagen Scholzel examine strategic communication by using Clausewitz as a way to connect organizational strategy and communication campaigns to government and military operations. The authors connect strategy with conflict, winning, prevailing, and discourse to alter the behavior of their target(s). Reading Clausewitz's book, a strategic communication manager can better understand "what to concern yourself with when...