The Public Sphere and the Democratic Process

1 credits · Undergraduate

This course will explore normative notions of the 'public sphere' and how it should factor into the democratic process. In exploring both historical and contemporary versions of the public sphere, this course will also explore related concepts such as 'public deliberation' and 'public opinion,' how they have been conceptualized, defined, and measured over time; and how they affect – and are affected by – public policymaking. Finally, this course will spend a substantial amount of time exploring the dynamics of the contemporary digital public sphere, how it has evolved, how it is structured, and its implications for civil discourse and the democratic process.