After the post-public sphere

Schlesinger, P. (2020) After the post-public sphere. Media, Culture and Society, 42(7-8), pp. 1545-1563. (doi: 10.1177/0163443720948003)

Abstract

The idea of a public sphere has long been central to discussion of political communication. Its present condition is the topic of this essay. Debate about the public sphere has been shaped by the boundary-policing of competing political systems and ideologies. Current discussion reflects the accelerating transition from the mass media era to the ramifying entrenchment of the Internet age. It has also been influenced by the vogue for analysing populism. The present transitional phase, whose outcome remains unclear, is best described as an unstable ‘post-public sphere’. This instability is not unusual as, over time, conceptions of the public sphere’s underpinnings and scope have continually shifted. Latterly, states’ responses to the development of the Internet have given rise to a new shift of focus, a ‘regulatory turn’. This is likely to influence the future shape of the public sphere.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Schlesinger, Professor Philip
• Authors: Schlesinger, P.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Theatre Film and TV Studies
• Journal Name: Media, Culture and Society
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• ISSN: 0163-4437
• ISSN (Online): 1460-3675
• Published Online: 17 August 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Author
• First Published: First published in Media, Culture and Society 42(7-8):1545-1563
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

Related URLs

• Blog Posting

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
303123		Centre of Excellence for Policy and Evidence in the Creative Industries (PEC)	Martin Kretschmer	Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)	AH/S001298/1	CREATe