The document discusses the public sphere as defined by Habermas, the generation of public opinion through assembly and dialogue to guide state affairs, and the blurring of boundaries between public and private spheres with new media. Specifically: 1) Habermas defined the public sphere as private people gathering together as a public to articulate societal needs to the state. 2) The public sphere generates opinions and attitudes through discussion and debate that can affirm or challenge the state. 3) With new media, the separation between public and private spheres has become slimmer as information transfer is no longer confined to physical spaces but can occur anywhere through mobile technology.

1. The Public Sphere

2. O Habermas defined the public sphere as
being "made up of private people
gathered together as a public and
articulating the needs of society with the
state" (1991).

3. O Through acts of assembly and
dialogue, the public sphere generates
opinions and attitudes which serve to
affirm or challenge--therefore, to guide--
the affairs of state. In ideal terms, the
public sphere is the source of public
opinion needed to "legitimate authority in
any functioning democracy"
(Rutherford, 2000).

4. O Discussion
O What do you think are examples of the
public sphere?
O Is there a private sphere, and if so what
are some examples and how are the two
related?

5. O Habermas did define the public sphere as
a virtual or imaginary community which
does not necessarily exist in any
identifiable space.

6. O DeLuca and Peeples look at the transitioning
of the concept of public sphere with the onset
of new media. The transition is that public
opinion is formed out of a new, pseudo-
physical “public screen.” They talk about how
the way information is shared nowadays, that
you can’t really distinguish between public
and private spheres. The separation between
public and private is slimmer because of the
mobility of our technology, as you can carry
the “screens” with you. This new way of
information transfer is based around the
inception of new media.

7. O Discussion
O What are the implications of a blurred line
between (or an overlap of) the private and
public spheres?
O WWCBS?