Chapter 1: Beyond the Dark Arts: Advancing Marketing and Communication Theory and Practice

Marketing and communication are blamed a lot for the ills of the world. These disciplines contribute to rampant consumption, causing degradation of the environment and the concomitant uncontrolled growth putting profits before people and the planet. The academic disciplines of marketing and communication are at a crossroads, needing to balance responsibility to society and the biosphere with the need for economic sustainability. The nexus of marketing, communication, ethical and societal responsibility is a conflictual and dynamic space. This chapter introduces a book that shows how some are meeting the challenges of enacting responsible marketing and communication at the crossroads.