Applying the Situational Theory of Publics to the first external voting process for Costa Ricans abroad: Lessons for international public relations and public diplomacy / Aplicación de la Teoría Situacional de los Públicos al primer proceso de voto en el

Authors

  • Vanessa Bravo Elon University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5783/revrrpp.v5i10.327

Keywords:

International public relations, public diplomacy, external voting, voting intention, Situational Theory of Publics, diaspora, immigration

Abstract

Using information gathered from 40 interviews with Costa Ricans who live abroad (some who decided to vote in the newly granted external voting right and others who did not vote in the Costa Rican National Elections of 2014), the variables that impacted the voting intention and/or behavior of these Costa Rican diaspora members were categorized using the independent variables presented by the Situational Theory of Publics: problem recognition, constraint recognition (internal and external constraints), and level of involvement. This theory was used to better understand what is moving these potential external voters to vote or not, in order to suggest what kinds of efforts should the Costa Rican government undertake to increase the number of external voters. The implications for public diplomacy and international public relations are explored

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Author Biography

Vanessa Bravo, Elon University

Vanessa Bravo/ Elon University

Assistant Professor

B.A., Universidad de Costa Rica; M.A., University of Florida; Ph.D., University of Florida. Fulbright Scholar at the University of Florida in 2001-2003. Fourteen years as a journalist and editor at newspaper La Nacion in Costa Rica in positions such as online editor and features editor. Strategic communications director at Paniamor Foundation from 1997-1998. Published in Public Relations Review, The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, International Journal of Communication (IJOC), Global Media Journal (American Edition), Revista Internacional de Relaciones Públicas, and Palabra Clave (Universidad de La Sabana, Colombia). Presented research papers at AEJMC, ICA, IPRRC, and SSCA, among others. Taught at the University of Florida from 2008-2011 and at the Universidad de Costa Rica in 2005.  Received the Susan Roschwalb Grant for research in international public relations from AEJMC in 2011 and the 2010-2011 Latin American Studies Doctoral Teaching Award from the Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida. Assistant Professor at Elon University, in North Carolina, since Fall 2011.

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Published

2015-12-13

How to Cite

Bravo, V. (2015). Applying the Situational Theory of Publics to the first external voting process for Costa Ricans abroad: Lessons for international public relations and public diplomacy / Aplicación de la Teoría Situacional de los Públicos al primer proceso de voto en el. International Journal of Public Relations, 5(10), 124–140. https://doi.org/10.5783/revrrpp.v5i10.327

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 10 (2015): Historia de las Relaciones Públicas (julio-diciembre)

Section

ARTÍCULOS

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