Strategic communication of hope and anger: A case of Duke University's conflict management with multiple publics

This study analyzes, from a conflict perspective, 139 conflict-focused newspaper stories about the 2006 Duke University lacrosse team crisis case. Findings show that media coverage emphasized the University's expression of hope, while highlighting the various publics’ expressions of anger. Duke University employed concession as its primary litigation strategy and adjustment as its primary conflict strategy to communicate with multiple publics. Duke's conflict stances were more accommodative toward internal publics than they were toward external publics.