Part I covers fundamentals of public relations practice. Chapter 1 gives a working definition of public relations, reviewing and rerefining the definitions of previous studies. Chapter 2 examines the historical roots of public relations, providing a useful perspective on the discipline as it has emerged. Chapter 3 deals with communications and systems theory as a background from public relations practice. Finally, Chapter 4 looks at the legal, ethical, and professional responsibilities of public relations practitioners in our society.