International public relations management and the presidents' spouses: The case of Mihriban Aliyeva

The state is one of the objects of studies located at the intersection of organizational studies and the field of international public relations. The spouses of the heads of state and their presence in politics also have an extensive literature. Despite this, it is observed that studies on the roles of the spouses of the presidents in the international public relations activities of the states still constitute an area open to contribution. In this study, it is aimed to understand the scope of the roles played by the spouses of the states' presidents in international public relations management practices. In this regard, a qualitative case study analysis that examines Mihriban Aliyeva, the wife of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, was designed. Mihriban Aliyeva's activities, which were obtained from secondary sources and could be evaluated within the scope of international public relations, were scrutinized using content analysis within the framework of public relations practices that are widely discussed in the literature and visualized them. Findings revealed Aliyeva's various activities that can be evaluated within the scope of different public relations practices.