Suchergebnisse

In this book, John Keane examines the causes of the worldwide re-popularisation of the term 'civil society'. The text traces its reappearance in a range of contexts and attempts to clarify the conflicting grammars and vocabularies of its language.

The history, conception, & uses of the term public sphere are explored. A recounting of initial & subsequent political usage draws on statements by Kane, Tonnies, Habermas, Garnham, & Arendt. There is consideration of conflicts between populist & market-driven motivations for control of public information. A survey of the early 20th-century rise of public service broadcasting is followed by details of its weakening. Investigation of causes for the ongoing crisis in public service media links public sphere theory with major factors, including financial instability, questions of legitimacy, & technological evolution. A tracing of changes in the nature of populist space & discourse includes examination of micro-, meso-, & macropublic spheres. Acceptance of the complexities attending public spheres discussion calls for ongoing assessment of volatile issues including pluralism, political geography, distinctions between public & private zones, transience, & the need for a shift in definitions to include cultural phenomena such as talk shows & video games. 34 References. M. C. Leary

Reasons for the lack of political theory on the causes, effects, & ethical-political implications of the violence that has haunted this century are explored. The silence of male scholars on this topic is inexcusable. It is surmised that political theorists relegate violence to the domain of psychology, find it politically unacceptable to write about (except in the extreme), accept its inevitability, or believe that it should be hidden so as not to provoke more violence. M. Pflum

In "Politically Correct Anti-Nationalism" (see abstract in this section of SA 43:5), Salvador Cardus & Joan Estruch have carelessly conflated the concepts of national & nationalism. Any struggle for national self-determination is colored by the dogma of nationalism, which differs from the concept of nation. Nations are abstract communities bound together by culture, language, historical memories, & an affection for a given ecosystem. National identity can be shared with others. On the other hand, nationalism always has exclusionary effects because its goal is to demarcate territory clearly in a mode of separatism & xenophobia. Nationalists insist on a privileged status, if not a monopoly of power, & thus, it is not surprising that cultural discrimination, physical harassment, & even mass expulsion & genocide follow. Plurality of non-national forms of life are suppressed, which is incompatible with the modern democratic project. Adapted from the source document.