Reviving the Public Sphere Through Internet Discussions

Presenter: Raluca Bogdan

Abstract: For decades people felt more comfortable discussing public issues in private, whether it was in the intimacy of their home or in a bar with a friend and a couple of beers. People felt more at ease to express their opinion on their leaders by mocking them in plays or under a mask at the Venice Carnival. Today, usernames uncover civic voices on blogs, chat rooms and online magazines. Different times, different means.

This multimedia presentation deals with the way civic sphere constructs its discourse on web and examines internet’s potential to revive the public sphere through debate and discussion.