Week 4: “Habermas’ heritage: The future of the public sphere in the network today”

Is Boeder right when he argues that ‘the conventional notion of a single, unified public sphere is likely to disappear in favour of a more segmented, pluralist model’? Demonstrate using a contemporary example of mediated public discourse.

First off, it is notable that Boeder affirms the exaggeration on how commodification has posed a serious ‘threat’ to freedom of speech on the Internet. It is undeniable that Habermas’ coffeehouse discourse has opened up ample amount of possibilities towards the enhancement of digital networks and social structures. News is no longer transmitted traditionally, but instead is ‘filtered’ in a way that it is shaped in accordance to an audience’s preference. Boeder’s affirmation is simply a manifestation of an increasingly polyvocal public.

Boeder, P 2005, ‘Habermas’ heritage: the future of the public sphere in the network society’, First Monday, vol 10, no. 9