Between (conceptual) crisis and critique : reclaiming the critical epistemic value of publicness

Splichal, Slavko (avtor)

Different understandings of what it means to be critical in the social sciences, especially in terms of the distinction between instrumental and reflexive knowledge, can be illustrated by the ongoing conceptual disputes about the critical epistemic value of public opinion and the public sphere as the main instantiations of publicness. The concept of the public sphere has gained prominence in media and communication theory, filling a void created by the decline of critical public opinion discourse, which was overshadowed by promotional publicity and opinion polls. Initially rooted in the German concept of Öffentlichkeit, this idea was revived in the English term ‘public sphere’. Its adoption transcended disciplinary boundaries, sparking fresh critical perspectives in the study of publicness. Yet, this widespread adoption also brought about a certain dilution of the concept’s epistemic depth. The digital age, characterized by the ascendancy of the Internet and the blurring of public–private boundaries, has greatly reshaped our comprehension of the public sphere, and expanded the scope of the concept. Today, however, the public sphere concept faces a fate reminiscent of administrative public opinion discourse following the proliferation of opinion polls. At a time when society is faced with issues related to the control of digital platforms by oligarchs, reevaluation and revitalization of the concepts of the public sphere and publicness become essential for comprehending the dynamics of modern communication.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: communication, critical theory, public opinion, public sphere, publicness, scientific critique, digital transformation
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FDV - Fakulteta za družbene vede
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Datum objave: 01.01.2023
• Leto izida: 2023
• Št. strani: Str. 1-18
• Številčenje: Vol. , no.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-153175
• UDK: 316.77
• ISSN pri članku: 1569-1632
• DOI: 10.1177/08969205231211313
• COBISS.SI-ID: 173738755
• Datum objave v RUL: 20.12.2023

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Critical sociology
• Založnik: Brill
• ISSN: 1569-1632
• COBISS.SI-ID: 518245657

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Nekomercialno 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Licenca Creative Commons, ki prepoveduje komercialno uporabo, vendar uporabniki ne rabijo upravljati materialnih avtorskih pravic na izpeljanih delih z enako licenco.