Thomas Martin

This book provides an executive overview of the field of public relations with a focus on what managers need to know to master the function quickly and effectively. The authors bring to bear on the topic of public relations management our research and academic knowledge in the areas of business management and strategy, mass communication, marketing, public relations, organizational communication, journalism, ethics, and public opinion along with years of professional experience in managing public relations. Throughout the text, we integrate the academic with the professional by asking: How can an executive use this knowledge to make the most of the public relations function, department, and initiatives in order to help their whole organization be successful?

In his masterful study of he imagined landscape in Australian culture, Martin Thomas disentangles the intricate accumulated meanings of the iconic Australian landscape of the Blue Mountains in NSW. He engages with the complex interplay between myth and history to produce an evocative, sophisticated and wide-ranging discussion of place and colonialism. Richly illustrated and meticulously researched, this is not only an achievement of international scholarly standard, but also a book to savour and enjoy. (Festival Awards for Literature 2004 Program)

Oppression and the Human Condition is both a valuable teaching tool and an insightful addition to scholarship on the philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre. Students and teachers will find it an excellent and accessible introduction to Sartre's existentialism, ideal for courses in existentialist and 20th century philosophy. Equally, Sartre scholars will find that the book, especially the sections on oppression and "bad faith," gives them much to think about. Author Thomas Martin applies Sartre's philosophy to contemporary issues and concerns, and draws on two case studies to make his point. The cases examine modern-day oppressors—in one case an anti-semite, in the other a sexist who objectifies women—in the context of Sartre's "bad faith." The case studies also reinforce Martin's argument that Sartre's early philosophy, especially his concept of "bad faith," provides a framework for discussions of oppressions such as racism and sexism.