Vol 16, No 2 (1997)

This article explores intrapersonal and transpersonal communication as the principal derivatives of a subjective, inner reality. These levels relate to different states and levels of consciousness and corresponding levels of selfawareness. Since an exploration of the nature of the self and its possible confluence with states and levels of consciousness necessitates a multidisciplinary approach, theories and constructs in Psychology, the New Physics (Quantum Physics), Mysticism, and Philosophy are integrated with contemporary communication notions of the self and consciousness. Integration and inclusiveness consequently form the bedrock of this article.

In this article the question is posed to what extent the prescriptive model for public relations education formulated by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) can be accepted as a role model for South Africa. This model, known as The Wheel of Education, was proposed by IPRA to suggest generally accepted educational standards. The model takes the form of a recommended curriculum accompanied by a set of general re~ommendations pertaining to education and research. In this article, an attempt is made to test the validity of this model by reviewing it in terms of both international and South African literature. It is suggested that the model has international validity but lacks sufficient emphasis on international public relations. It is also suggested that the model cannot be applied strictly as a blueprint for public relations education in South Africa, but needs to be adapted to the development needs of this country.

This article consists of three sections. In the first section, the theoretical foundations of rhetorical analysis as applied to visual messages is explicated. In the second section, the approach is illustrated by means of an example drawn from
a photographic essay on streetchildren. In the third section, some difficulties with the application of rhetorical analysis to documentary
photographs are discussed. It is theorized that straight documentary photographs are essentially open texts and that even though the
structural data uncovered in' the course a rhetorical reading might point towards a preferred interpretation, decisions about the author's persuasive intent with the image can only be made if the creative controls of the medium have been employed rhetorically.

Change in the external environment, without exception, impacts upon the organisation and in particular the practising of public relations. Since the beginning of the nineties, the South African business environment Is characterised by the redefinement of business practices and partners and the shifting of boundaries as an expression of the globalization of the world economy. The lifting of sanctions, together with the events that took place in the political arena, introduced unprecedented changes in the legal-political, economic and social environments. Against this background, an urgent need for the development of a context sensitive generic framework of required outputs for communication managers in a changing business envlronment, based on an integrated approach, was identified. This article provides an overview of the dynamics of change in the external environment and the impact it has on the public relations function. A brief discussion regarding standard setting as envisaged by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and the professionalisation of public relations, with specific reference to training needs and accreditation, is included. The article also attempts to provide Insight into the empirical process that led to the development of a generic framework and the hierarchial classification of outputs according to levels of work.

This contribution was stimulated by a paper. ' Narrative In the news in the new South Africa • by David Wigston (UNISA). read at a seminar on aspects of popular culture held at RAU on May 311996. Wigston used the narrative model of Vladimir Propp to analyse the news content of Radio Moscow and Voice of America. Wigston did not arrive at final conclusions, and this contribution puts two popular film subgenres, the horror and the thriller. to the• test • of narrative theory.

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