Page Center seeks research on communicating advocacy and social responsibility

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Corporate involvement in social issues is not new, but escalating cultural tensions and political divisions have shifted how organizations approach advocacy. To adapt to this rapidly changing political climate, leaders have been evaluating and reevaluating their advocacy efforts. Evidence-based approaches are essential for building the tools for earning trust and fostering dialogue with stakeholders.

The Arthur W. Page Center is seeking research proposals that examine the current state of corporate social responsibility, advocacy and activism in an age of political and cultural polarization. The call is part of the Center’s Page/Johnson Legacy Scholar Grant program, which annually supports scholars and professionals whose research contributes to academic literature and builds professional understanding of key issues.

In its current call for research proposals, the center encourages diverse methodological approaches that explore how organizations navigate the unique challenges of today.

“Whether to take part in advocacy and activism have always been difficult decisions for organizations of all kinds,” said senior research fellow Nicholas Browning from Indiana University. “Now, as the partisan divide appears to widen and the rules of engagement shift to no-holds-barred approaches, those choices have become even thornier for organizations.”

Potential topics include, but are not limited to: pressures organizations face, changes in how they communicate, First Amendment issues, internal communication dynamics, ethical dilemmas, international perspectives and the impact of polarization on traditionally supported causes like diversity, equity and inclusion, and climate change.

“There’s a lot to tackle here — and from many different angles,” Browning, who is co-leading the call, said. “I’m excited to see where people take this call. I expect we’ll see something unexpected emerge, and that’s always thrilling.”

Heidi Hatfield Edwards, a Page Center senior research fellow from Florida Institute of Technology, is co-leading the call with Browning. She said they envisioned the call more than a year ago since the world was beginning to change in unpredictable ways.

“Those shifts have reinforced our conviction that now is the right time for this topic,” she said. “This is an inflection point in the history of organizational social advocacy and activism. I believe the scholarship emerging from this project will contribute to our understanding of this historical moment in meaningful ways."

Since 2004, the Page Center has funded hundreds of projects tackling many topics in the field. Research themes vary from year to year, but the Center consistently supports academic exploration into timely topics that build an understanding of principles and practices employed in public communication today,

"In real-time we see the challenges organizations are facing, the time is now to research corporate social responsibility and advocacy," said Holly Overton, Page Center research director and associate professor of advertising/public relations. “We want to empower scholars to explore how organizations can lead with values and engage authentically with the public."

Funded researchers are named Page Center Legacy Scholars. Their work is presented and promoted in many areas, including the Page Center website and at the Center’s Research Roundtables, which are twice-annual sessions with the center’s advisory board and senior research fellows. There will also be opportunities for scholars to publish in both the Public Relations Journal and the Journal of Public Relations Research.

“The Page Center has a long history of supporting research that studies social responsibility, advocacy and activism in public communication,” said Denise Bortree, Page Center director and interim dean of the Bellisario College. “We knew it was important to give these spaces a deeper look during this critical time and uncover ideas for ethically and effectively moving these efforts forward.”

Visit the Page Center website for a full description of the call and the proposal process. All application materials must be submitted by Jan. 15, 2026. The Page Center has funded more than 350 scholars since its founding in 2004. While research themes vary from year to year, the center consistently supports academic exploration into the understanding of principles practiced in public communication. Page Center scholars represent colleges, universities and organizations from around the world.