This edited volume serves as an introduction to the emerging field of public interest communication, establishing a solid vision for the interdisciplinary foundations of the field. Public interest communication, rooted within strategic communication, utilizes research from a variety of disciplines to establish communications strategies that seek to better the human condition and last beyond a single campaign. As society grapples with astronomical issues such as climate change, economic and racial inequality, war, and the rise of authoritarianism, this approach seeks to communicate with the various stakeholders within these arenas. While PIC began on the heels of the Civil Rights Movement, the War on Poverty, protests against the Vietnam War, the Women's Movement, the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Stonewall Riots, and other monumental moves toward societal change for the public good, it has likely always existed – we just didn't have a name for it. Covering a range of relevant topics – journalism, politics, advocacy, ethics – that not only provide an essential historical context, but reference contemporary issues. Ultimately, this volume highlights the intersections of the field with other disciplines, thus creating a concrete vision for the interdisciplinary foundations of the field.