From the habermasian space to the new forms of the public space

• Author: Dinu (Stan), E. L.
• Position: Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest
• Pages: 155-162

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 4 (53) •No. 1 - 2011

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law

FROM THE HABERMASIAN SPACE TO

THE NEW FORMS OF THE PUBLIC SPACE

Elena-Lidia DINU (STAN)1

Abstract: The Habermasian theoretical perspective offers, in the literature,

a detailed image of the “public sphere” concept signification. Being applied,

over the years, in issues related to media theories too (globalisation,

consumerism, democracy), the concept of “public sphere” has undergone

radical changes due, mainly, to the emergence and convergence of electronic

media. In this respect, this article does nothing more than to describe and

analyze, in a realistic way, the public space, the mechanisms involved in it,

as well the interplay of the public space with the private one. We could say

that this dissolution of the public space is one of the major consequences of

postmodernism.

Key words: postmodern society, public space, private space.

1 Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest

1. Introduction

Communication has always been at the

basis of the evolution of modern society,

modern capitalism being a form of society,

characterized typically by industrialization

and critically by marketing in order to

organize the distribution of goods and

services, nowadays a dominant economic

form [1]. Arguing upon this issue,

communication itself is the one that builds

culture, it seems, “placed in contexts

ranging from local to global level” [2].

A comprehensive analysis of modernity

has been carried out by the sociologist

Anthony Giddens [3], who asserted that

“we move away from a social system

based on production of material goods

towards another one, in which information

becomes central”. At that time, his analysis

suggested the emergence of a new type of

social system - “information society” or

“consumer society”.

The treatment technique, storage

medium and means of disseminating

information have evolved considerably due

to the emergence of the New Information

and Communication Technologies (NICT),

their rapid development characterizing the

beginning of XXI century.

The evolution of Web 2.0 has led to

changes at the social and educational level,

thus resulting to the “XXI century

revolution” - the information society. The

new media have influenced the traditional

processes of communication and imposed

a rethinking of the communication political

space and, implicitly, of the electoral

strategies. As an obvious result, significant

changes are perceived, particularly in how

documents and information are stored,

organized, accessed and retrieved.