CSR communication and the polarization of public discourses : introduction to the Special Issue

Schoeneborn, Dennis (author), Golob, Urša (author), Trittin-Ulbrich, Hannah (author), Wenzel, Matthias (author)

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication faces significant challenges due to an increasing polarization of public discourses. This polarization oversimplifies societal differences into “us versus them” dynamics, complicating consensus building and eroding trust in democratic processes. Traditionally, CSR communication research has focused on how organizations negotiate meanings between various stakeholders. However, the rise in polarization necessitates a broader research scope to understand its impact on CSR practices and organizational relationships. This Special Issue of Management Communication Quarterly explores these evolving challenges, analyzing how polarization reshapes CSR communication and outlining strategies for businesses to navigate this fragmented landscape. The issue also reflects on the broader role of corporations amidst tendencies of polarization and suggests directions for future research.

• Language: English
• Keywords: corporate social responsibility, communication, public discourse, polarization
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 10.09.2024
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 751–774
• Numbering: iss. 4, Vol. 38
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-174281
• UDC: 005.336.5
• ISSN on article: 0893-3189
• DOI: 10.1177/08933189241268503
• COBISS.SI-ID: 207253251
• Publication date in RUL: 30.09.2025

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.