The Idea of the Public Sphere

The idea of the public sphere has been a vital part of democratic theory throughout the modern era. This helpful reader provides the intellectual and historical background to enable those thinking about these issues today to connect the most important contemporary contributions to their intellectual history. -- Craig Calhoun, University Professor of Social Sciences, Arizona State University
Though much has been written about the public sphere, this ambitious and generous collection of key texts is truly in a class by itself. While tracing the intellectual history of the concept from the Enlightenment, the volume also probes its links to other key notions such as democracy, culture, media, and multiculturalism, placing it in the context of contemporary debates. Framed by edifying and accessible introductions – to the whole volume, to the seven sections, and to each one of the texts – this book will prove to be an immensely useful resource. It destined to become a classic volume on this topic. -- Peter Dahlgren, Lund University
This is a timely and long-needed introduction to the roots of public sphere thinking, which could help to better understand some burning contemporary controversies in the filed. -- Slavko Splichal, University of Ljubljana