Models of Public Sphere in Political Philosophy

Models of Public Sphere in Political Philosophy

A public domain created for the communication between people to share political concepts, social practices within the society or country is known as the public sphere. It has been practiced since the time of Aristotle. Gurcan Kocan states that “Aristotle refers to the public sphere as a social and political space in which citizens come together to talk about issues of political concern to form civic opinions”. (Kocan, 2008: 27) Aristotle believes public sphere establishes relationship between citizen and state to share their opinion on political activities. Citizens are required to communicate for which they need space. It is a public forum for the rational discussion on policies of state. Public sphere has multiple meanings provided by different political, social and philosophical connotations. Jurgen Habermas argues public sphere as autonomous component that starts from society, distinct from the state. It functions as decision and opinion oriented structures, institutions and agents.

The major theoretical stances which deal with the macro-micro relationship are descriptive conceptualization of public sphere and normative conceptualization of public sphere. Descriptive theory describes public sphere as “fact based” historical process that contribute the development of democracies. It explains the structure of communicative action, and it is also referred as the tool to describe the consequences resulted by a structure of public sphere as opined by Kocan. Normative theory guides and explains the justifiable, best, and right way for good public communication. Public communication is a basis for public sphere. It is a hub formed by the exchange of ideas. In political and social environment to act and to meet their ends, public sphere plays very vital role. In other words, in public communication conscious individual participants, who attempt to contribute, take a rational step with both objective and subjective frame of reference. Hence communicative acts are participants oriented. Max Weber described action within the paradigm of rationality: Instrumental, expressive, affective, and habitual (Weber, 1978) as quoted by Kocan. Instrumental action is most effective means of achieving goal and adaptation aspects of communication. Public sphere acts effectively with various form of communication as for instance regulative, truth oriented and celebratory. These types of communications structure and help public sphere to function.

Regulative communication functions to formulate comprehensive meaning for issues for acceptable appropriate agreements. Jurgen Habermas studied it as functional, coordinative, and constitutive categories. Truth- oriented communication examines or justifies beliefs or theories with inductive arguments which is carried out for general truth from particulars. Celebratory communication involves carnival celebration that includes dialogue in between the mass of the people and upsets the status quo with independent multiple voices. Hence Bakhtin took it as a ground breaking communicative vitality of carnival. A style of communication determines the end and acts of public sphere. Regulative and truth- oriented communication can lead to definite conclusions where as celebratory only liberates participants. Bakhtin believes public sphere established with communication creates new spirit of ambivalence through parody, indirect and satirical language. Whereas Habermas supports for coherent, consistent and persuasive language to show owns case in a public sphere. However they both agree at the establishment of new spirit out of the discussion about long existing religious, political, social, moral norms and prohibitions.

Conclusion:

Public Sphere is established through the communication and assembly of the people where language plays important role. All the theories about public sphere, appreciate public communication as an integral part of public sphere in political philosophy. The most required condition for democracy is public and public sphere. Various theories and concept of public sphere have increased the complexity and multiple understanding. Hence, we can’t confine our understanding on single model of public sphere.