The Public Sphere

The idea of the public sphere as the space where citizens come together to deliberate on issues of common concern and to critique and influence the government has been one of the most influential and contested concepts since the beginnings of debates on the constitution of democracy. But the notion of a public sphere is certainly not simply of historical interest. It remains central to contemporary issues such as the democratic potential of the internet, the challenges posed by the resurgence of fundamentalisms, and the possibilities for a post-national, cosmopolitan, political order in the age of globalization.

This four volume set is a 'must-have' guide to the idea of the public sphere, its history, the ongoing struggles over its meaning and importance to democracy, and its continuing relevance to emerging issues. It offers an authoritative presentation of the 'canon' in this area of scholarship, emphasizing 20th century and recent contributions.

Volume 1 Defining the Public Sphere

Volume 2 The Political Public Sphere

Volume 3 The Cultural Public Sphere

Volume 4 The Future of the Public Sphere

Volume 1 explores how the public sphere was discovered as a historical fact and 'invented' as an idea and ideal, while also being rejected to varying degrees by theorists sceptical or negative to the idea of deliberative democracy. Volume 2 looks at the political public sphere where government may be directly challenged. The cultural public sphere has been largely overlooked in the tradition of public sphere theory. Volume 3 aims to contribute to a renewed interest in this key area in democratic public life. This final volume focuses on two current developments that are posing new questions for the idea of the public sphere - the rise of the internet and the emergence of transnational regions and global networks.