Expanding the Public Sphere through Computer ... - ResearchGate

More documents

Recommendations

Info

CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 42 Democratically constituted opinion- and will-formation depends on the supply of informal public opinion that, ideally, develop in structures of an unsubverted political public sphere. The informal public sphere must, for its part, enjoy the support of a societal basis in which equal rights of citizenship have become socially effective. Only in an egalitarian public of citizens that has emerged from the confines of class and thrown off the millenniaold shackles of social stratification and exploitation can the potential of an unleashed cultural pluralism fully develop – a potential that no doubt abounds just an much in conflicts as in meaning-generating forms of life. (Habermas 1996, 307-308) It is thus equally necessary that both the formal and informal zones of the public sphere be connected to the other systems of society. The informal zone connects to the formal zone by providing opportunities for citizens to engage each other in political discourse, to expand the boundaries of possible solutions to contentious issues, and to allow for opinion-formation to take place in a non-coercive environment free from the constraints of the market. Contrasts between the formal and informal zones of the public sphere can also be drawn in terms of the requirements of equality, diversity, reciprocity and quality. Equality is achieved through a balance in representation and access to representatives in the formal zone. In the informal public sphere, equality is achieved with equal access to speaking opportunities. Diversity requires a fair and open presentation of competing viewpoints in the formal zone; in the informal zone, flexibility in presentation styles and modalities matching the varied skills and experiences of the participants (Dahl 1985) is necessary. In addition, diversity in the informal zone can be achieved through flexibility in the boundaries of the public sphere: contracting at times of low interest, expanding at times of high interest. Reciprocity in the formal zone is established by demonstrating an understanding of the views of others; in contrast, reciprocity in the informal zone is focused on acknowledging the legitimacy of the views of others. Finally, quality in the formal zone is based on the ability to reach a decision; while in the informal zone, quality is established by a focus of the discussion on the topic at hand.
Chapter 3 Technology & the Public Sphere This chapter discusses the relationship between communication technology and the public sphere, with a particular emphasis on technologies enabling computer mediated discussion. Section 3.1 explores the relationship between communication technology and the shape of the public sphere. Section 3.2 on page 47 discusses the technology and practice of computer mediated communication. The origins and character of Usenet is examined in Section 3.3 on page 51. Section 3.4 on page 54 focuses on the the social and political structure of Usenet. 3.1 Technology and the Shape of the Public Sphere Policies governing communication technologies have long given at least rhetorical support to the view that fostering the development of technologies providing open access and a diversity of voices would promote the emergence of a public sphere supporting democratic values. In the 19th century, discussions of postal policy justified the creation of a national infrastructure and below-cost rates to facilitate communication among citizens and between citizens and their government (U. S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment 1990). In the late 1830s and early 1840s, the initial foray of the government into telegraphy was in part justified by the view that democracy required citizen interaction (Schneider 1988). 43
Page 1 and 2: Expanding the Public Sphere through
Page 3 and 4: Contents Acknowledgements 7 1 Compu
Page 5 and 6: List of Figures 3.1 Structure of a
Page 7 and 8: Acknowledgements When one takes eig
Page 9 and 10: CHAPTER 1. COMPUTERS, CONVERSATION
Page 15 and 16: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 15 2.1
Page 17 and 18: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 17 Sch
Page 19 and 20: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 19 sta
Page 21 and 22: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 21 or
Page 23 and 24: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 23 own
Page 25 and 26: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 25 new
Page 27 and 28: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 27 com
Page 29 and 30: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 29 Hab
Page 31 and 32: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 31 pub
Page 33 and 34: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 33 the
Page 35 and 36: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 35 ori
Page 37 and 38: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 37 gen
Page 39 and 40: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 39 pub
Page 41: CHAPTER 2. THE PUBLIC SPHERE 41 By
Page 45 and 46: CHAPTER 3. TECHNOLOGY & THE PUBLIC
Page 57 and 58: Chapter 4 Abortion Discourse in the
Page 59 and 60: CHAPTER 4. ABORTION DISCOURSE IN TH
Page 69 and 70: Chapter 5 Measuring the Public Sphe
Page 71 and 72: CHAPTER 5. MEASURING THE PUBLIC SPH
Page 77 and 78: CHAPTER 6. ANALYZING THE TALK.ABORT
Page 93 and 94:
CHAPTER 6. ANALYZING THE TALK.ABORT
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Chapter 7 The Expanding Public Sphe
Page 103 and 104:
CHAPTER 7. THE EXPANDING PUBLIC SPH
Page 105 and 106:
CHAPTER 7. THE EXPANDING PUBLIC SPH
Page 107 and 108:
Appendix A The talk.abortion newsgr
Page 109 and 110:
APPENDIX A. TALK.ABORTION: AUGUST 9
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Appendix B Density Scores Table B.1
Page 165 and 166:
APPENDIX B. DENSITY SCORES 165 Tabl
Page 167 and 168:
Appendix C Supplemental Analysis 16
Page 169 and 170:
APPENDIX C. SUPPLEMENTAL ANALYSIS 1
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
BIBLIOGRAPHY 177 Best, Michael L. 1
Page 179 and 180:
BIBLIOGRAPHY 179 Fisher, Bonnie, Mi
Page 181 and 182:
BIBLIOGRAPHY 181 Hiltz, Starr Roxan
Page 183 and 184:
BIBLIOGRAPHY 183 Mansbridge, Jane.
Page 185 and 186:
BIBLIOGRAPHY 185 Pateman, Carole. 1
Page 187 and 188:
BIBLIOGRAPHY 187 Savicki, Victor, D
Page 189:
BIBLIOGRAPHY 189 U. S. Congress, Of
show all

Expanding the Public Sphere through Computer ... - ResearchGate

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?