The theory of the public sphere revisited / Rupert Strachwitz

In the public sphere as we have come to see it, the state sets the rules, admits and rejects participants, and, commonly preferring to be alone, persists in harassing and excluding other arenas, i.e., the market and, most particularly, civil society. What is frequently overlooked is that this is a historical concept and is by no means an anthropological constant. This chapter argues that this concept is outdated and in urgent need of fundamental revision. The failure of the nation state and of institutions in particular should serve as an alarm call to revisit the public sphere and devise a new model of organizing it. To this end, theoretical groundwork is needed. However, empirical studies alone, as important as they are, will not produce satisfactory results. A normative approach is called for in attempting to define the role of different contributors, notably the private (business) sector and civil society in a new and inclusive public sphere that suggests an active interplay of these arenas on a level playing field. This chapter analyzes a number of deficiencies of the present model and suggests some thoughts on how it should be adapted to the realities of modern society.