Public Sphere & Counterpublics Flashcards
Public sphere
- A discursive space in which individuals congregate to discuss matters of mutual interest and, where possible, to reach a common judgment (Jurgen Habermas)
- Distinct from the state & economy (It’s not corporations that are the public sphere, it’s the people).
Where is public sphere located?
Between intersection of private sphere and sphere of public authority.
- Private sphere
- Public authority: Govt officials, courts, ruling body
“Institutional Criteria” of Public Sphere
- Inclusive to all
- Bracketing of one’s status
- Guided by common concerns
Critiques of “Institutional Criteria” of Public Sphere
- Public sphere is exclusive NOT inclusive
- People don’t ‘bracket’ who they are
- Subjects considered as a common concern are only the concerns of a few
Counterpublics
a parallel discursive arena where members of subordinate social groups invent and circulate counterdiscourses to formulate oppositional interpretations of their identities, interests, and needs
Counterpublics as a “public inside a public”
- They are multiple
- Differential power relations
- Different relationships to each other
- They involve struggle
- They oscillate between public work and private work
Counterpublic Enclaves
space of private work among the counterpublic
Coalitions
- Movements where groups work in relations/ organize around a particular issue that may not have been their original focus
- Vital for doing social change work
- Issue-focused rather than theme-focused
Coalition-building
Includes behind-the-scenes work
Ex: meetings, fundraising, gathering support
Coalition Subjectivity
if we can organize around the needs of many communities like housing or safe access to water, then we have a better advantage point to make change, focus on a way of going about action, decentering your group’s needs and standing up for a community’s needs
