What do we mean by a European public sphere?

Abstract

In recent research literature differing accounts of the European public sphere (EPS) have been offered. We can find at least four ways to understand the concept: 1 The EPS understood as an agora, as a space of critical debate and opinion formation which is open to all European citizens and has established structures and procedures; 2 The EPS understood as a special way of organizing relations between an individual and society, historically shaped and matured in Europe; 3 The EPS understood as distinct from national public spheres, consisting of all public debates and discussions which concern Europe and European issues; 4 The EPS understood empirically, consisting of all public representations that the European media produce. The second approach, which is perhaps best articulated by Charles Taylor, has been less discussed (Taylor, 1992, 2004). Although having a strong affinity to the ideals of deliberative democracy, it takes the debate to a more general level. According to Taylor his approach is based on a ‘cultural’ theory of modernity, in contrast to an ‘a-cultural’ one referring to an empiricist-positivist approach (Taylor, 1992). I will concentrate here only on the second or ‘cultural’ approach. Although I will adopt some of Charles Taylor’s conceptual and theoretical tools, I will apply them freely in building up my own theoretical framework.