Habermas, Mouffe and political communication : a case for theoretical eclecticism

Karppinen, Kari (author), Moe, Hallvard (author), Svensson, Jakob (author)

Much of the research on communication and democracy continues to lean on Jürgen Habermasćs work. However, many aspects of his approach have been intensely criticised in recent debates, both in communication studies and political theory. Habermas's emphasis on rational consensus as the aim of public communication has particularly been problematised. One of the most prominent critics, Chantal Mouffe and her agonistic model of democracy, have increasingly drawn the interest of media scholars. Mouffe explicitly contrasts the dominant Habermasian concept of the public sphere, and it appears that her model is impossible to combine with the Habermasian approach. But how substantial are the differences? What are the disagreements centred on? And what are their consequences for empirical media and communication research? In this article we argue that rather than accepting the standard readings or polar positions accredited to the two, we need to retain a certain "theoretical eclecticism" in combining normative theories with empirical research. Despite their controversies, we argue that both Habermas's and Mouffe's theories have value as critical perspectives that helpus reflect on the ideals of democratic public communication.

• Language: English
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2008
• Number of pages: Str. 5-22
• Numbering: Vol. 15, no. 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-44921
• UDC: 316.77
• ISSN on article: 1318-3222
• COBISS.SI-ID: 27699037
• Publication date in RUL: 10.07.2015

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Javnost = The public
• Shortened title: Javnost
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis, European Institute for Communication and Culture
• ISSN: 1318-3222
• COBISS.SI-ID: 40119808

Secondary language

• Language: Unknown

Abstract

Velik del raziskovanja komuniciranja in demokracije se naslanja na delo Jürgena Habermasa. Marsikateri vidik njegovega pristopa je bil v novejših razpravah močno kritiziran tako v komunikacijskih študijah kot v politični teoriji. Posebej je problematiziran Habermsov poudarek na racionalnem konsenzu kot cilju javnega komuniciranja. Najvidnejša kritičarka Habermasovega modela javne sfere je Chantal Mouffe s svojim agonističnim modelom demokracije. Na prvi pogled sta modela povsem izključujoča. Toda kako bistvene so razlike med njima v resnici? V čem so nesoglasja? In kakšne so posledice za empirično raziskovanje medijev in komuniciranja? Članek dokazuje,da je v povezovanju normativnih teorij in empiričnega raziskovanja namesto običajnega sprejemanja nasprotnih pozicij obeh modelov treba zadržati določen "teoretski eklekticizem". Kljub nasprotjem med obema modeloma članek dokazuje, da sta obe kritični perspektivi veljavni v premišljevanju o idealih demokratičnega javnega komuniciranja.