The Idea of the Public Sphere

The Idea of the Public Sphere offers a wide-ranging, accessible, and easy-to-use introduction to one of the most influential ideas in modern social and political thought, tracing its development from the origins of modern democracy in the Eighteenth Century to present day debates. This book brings key texts by the leading contributors in the field together in a single volume. It explores current topics such as the role of religion in public affairs, the implications of the internet for organizing public deliberation, and the transnationalisation of public issues.

The notion of 'the public sphere' has become increasingly central to theories and studies of democracy, media, and culture over the last few decades. It has also gained political importance in the context of the European Union's efforts to strengthen democracy, integration, and identity. The Idea of the Public Sphere offers a wide-ranging, accessible, and easy-to-use introduction to one of the most influential ideas in modern social and political thought, tracing its development from the origins of modern democracy in the Eighteenth Century to present day debates. This book brings key texts by the leading contributors in the field together in a single volume. It explores current topics such as the role of religion in public affairs, the implications of the internet for organizing public deliberation, and the transnationalisation of public issues.

1 Preface
2 Acknowledgments
3 Editors' Introduction
Part 4 I: The Enlightenment and the Liberal Idea of the Public Sphere
5 Introduction to section I
6 Introduction to Kant
7 Immanuel Kant:An Answer to the Question: "What is Enlightenment?"
8 Introduction to Hegel
9 G.W.F. Hegel: Excerpt fromPhilosophy of Right
10 Introduction to Mill
11 J.S. Mill: ExcerptOn Liberty
Part 12 II: "Mass Society", Democracy and Public Opinion
13 Introduction to section II
14 Introduction to Lippmann
15 Walter Lippmann: Excerpt fromThe Phantom Public
16 Introduction to Dewey
17 John Dewey: Excerpt fromThe Public and its Problems
18 Introduction to Schumpeter
19 Joseph Schumpeter: Excerpt fromCapitalism, Socialism and Democracy
20 Introduction to Schmitt
21 Carl Schmitt: Excerpt fromThe Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy
Part 22 III: The Public Sphere Rediscovered
23 Introduction to section III
24 Introduction to Arendt
25 Hannah Arendt: Excerpt fromThe Human Condition
26 Introduction to Habermas I
27 Jürgen Habermas: "The Public Sphere: An Encyclopaedia Article"
28 Introduction to Negt and Kluge
29 Oskar Negt and Alexander Kluge: Excerpt fromPublic Sphere and Experience: Toward an Analysis of the Bourgeois and Proletarian Public Sphere
30 Introduction to Fraser
31 Nancy Fraser: "Rethinking the Public Sphere: A Contribution to the Critique of Actually Existing Democracy"
Part 32 IV: The Public Sphere and Models of Democracy
33 Introduction to section IV
34 Introduction to Elster
35 Jon Elster: "The Market and the Forum: Three Varieties of Political Theory"
36 Introduction to Luhmann
37 Niklas Luhmann: "Societal Complexity and Public Opinion"
38 Introduction to Habermas II
39 Jürgen Habermas: Excerpt fromBetween Facts and Norms: Contributions to a Discourse Theory of Law and Democracy
40 Introduction to Rawls
41 John Rawls: "The Idea of Public Reason Revisited"
Part 42 V: Current Challenges
43 Introduction to section V
44 Introduction to Peters
45 Bernhard Peters: "National and Transnational Public Spheres"
46 Introduction to Bohman
47 James Bohman: "Expanding Dialogue: The Internet, Public Sphere, and Transnational Democracy"
48 Introduction to Mouffe
49 Chantal Mouffe: "Deliberative Democracy or Agonistic Pluralism?"
50 Introduction to Benhabib
51 Seyla Benhabib: Excerpt fromThe Claims of Culture: Equality and Diversity in the Global Era
52 Introduction to Habermas III
53 Jürgen Habermas: "Religion in the Public Sphere"
54 Bibliography and Further Readings