Jostein Gripsrud is professor of Media Studies at the University of Bergen in Norway. Hallvard Moe is associate professor of Information Science and Media Studies at the University of Bergen in Norway. Anders Molander is associate professor and research coordinator at the Center for the Study of Professions at Oslo University College in Norway. Graham Murdock is reader in the sociology of Culture at Loughborough University.

• 1 Preface 2 Acknowledgments 3 Editors' Introduction Part 4 I: The Enlightenment and the Liberal Idea of the Public Sphere 5 Introduction to section I 6 Introduction to Kant 7 Immanuel Kant: An Answer to the Question: "What is Enlightenment?" 8 Introduction to Hegel 9 G.W.F. Hegel: Excerpt from Philosophy of Right 10 Introduction to Mill 11 J.S. Mill: Excerpt On Liberty Part 12 II: "Mass Society", Democracy and Public Opinion 13 Introduction to section II 14 Introduction to Lippmann 15 Walter Lippmann: Excerpt from The Phantom Public 16 Introduction to Dewey 17 John Dewey: Excerpt from The Public and its Problems 18 Introduction to Schumpeter 19 Joseph Schumpeter: Excerpt from Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy 20 Introduction to Schmitt 21 Carl Schmitt: Excerpt from The Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy Part 22 III: The Public Sphere Rediscovered 23 Introduction to section III 24 Introduction to Arendt 25 Hannah Arendt: Excerpt from The Human Condition 26 Introduction to Habermas I 27 Jürgen Habermas: "The P

The idea of the public sphere has been a vital part of democratic theory throughout the modern era. This helpful reader provides the intellectual and historical background to enable those thinking about these issues today to connect the most important contemporary contributions to their intellectual history.