Teaching 9/11: Using public relations to bolster civil society

This article discusses a series of student projects in an introductory public relations class at the University of Hartford. The projects were developed in the weeks following the attacks of September 11, 2001 and focused on public relations' crucial role in restoring confidence in the institutions of civil society. They centered on entities vital to New York (tourist industry and police), to transportation (rail and airlines), and investment/commodities (entertainment industries and stock exchange). Students were not only better able to appreciate this vital role but the extent to which thorough research, as a basis for strategic planning, was critical to success in regaining public trust.