2009 Course Handbook
SOC379: The Public Sphere
Many social commentators are warning us about the demise of the public sphere. Our abilities to build solidarities with strangers, to arrive at shared interpretations of common interests, and to agree on the general significance of problems appears to be under threat. A growing preoccupation with private concerns is seen to pose a serious challenge to our ability to think of ourselves as a public.
What precisely do the commentators fear about the undermining of a modern public sphere? How do they describe its achievements and where do they see the major threats coming from? We look at a range of views including those of Robert Putnam, Jurgen Habermas and Zygmunt Bauman. The unit will be structured around a dialogue between these general theories and interpretations of the prospects of the public sphere in contemporary Australia.
| Credit Points: | 4 |
| Contact Hours: | 3 |
| When Offered: | D1 - Day; Offered in the first half-year |
| Staff Contact: | Associate Professor Pauline Johnson |
| Prerequisites: | 40cp |
| Corequisites: | |
| NCCWs: | |
| Unit Designations: | Social Science |
| Assessed As: | Graded |
| Offered By: |
Department of Sociology |
Timetable Information
For unit timetable information please visit the Timetables@Macquarie Website.