The Internet as the Public Sphere: Deliberative Democracy and Civic Engagement

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Author(s): Jarice Hanson (Temple University, USA)and Alina Hogea (Temple University, USA)
Copyright: 2012
Pages: 20
Source title: E-Governance and Civic Engagement: Factors and Determinants of E-Democracy
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Aroon Manoharan (Kent State University, USA)and Marc Holzer (Rutgers University, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-083-5.ch023

Keywords: Electronic Government / Government & Law / Information Science Reference / Public & Sector Management

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Abstract

The Internet has often been heralded as a tool for e-governance and public action because of its ubiquity, accessibility, and the ability for users to participate in online expressions of opinion. In this chapter we discuss the potential for the Internet to function as a public space for facilitating civic engagement. While we draw from the seminal work of Jurgen Habermas to identify the preconditions for the functioning of a “public sphere,” we address four distinctly different approaches to the discussion of the Internet’s role as an effective tool for deliberative democracy by highlighting the contributions of scholars and practitioners who engaged in a dialog on the topic at a symposium held at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 2010.

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