Paper #2 Assignment—Public Sphere in Practice

The Assignment

Your assignment is to write a paper to apply Jürgen Habermas’ concept of the public sphere to our world (or some corner of it).

I’ll help you think about how to summarize Habermas’ theory. You’ll do some simple research –  taking notes on informal conversations with people you know – to provide material for your paper. And then you’ll do some thinking to apply Habermas (the public sphere ideal) to the examples you’ve found.

You might ask: How well do these examples measure up to the ideal of rational-critical debate that Habermas highlighted? What can be said/can’t be said in this news environment? What functions does it serve? What kind of public sphere does this represent?

Your goal is to develop an interesting, not obvious, argument.

A note on research organization: Please create a Habermas Paper Folder in your HIST 201 folder that you’ve shared with me. Save your notes here along with drafts of the paper and copies of sources you are using.

And on paper organization: You’d like to provide a compelling introduction that draws in the reader, announces the topic, and lays out your point of view (your thesis). You should share some background on Habermas’ theory to help orient your readers. And then you should discuss the examples you’ve found and how we can understand them in light of Habermas. Finally, you will share a conclusion that answers the so what question – and leaves us with some larger thoughts to contemplate.

Some Guidelines

• Length: 3 to 5 pages
• Format & citations: follow the guidelines in the Sample Short Paper. For citations, use Chicago-style footnotes with precise references, following the examples in Mary Lynn Rampolla as explained in the Sample Paper
• Include a bibliography that includes Habermas, your interview subjects, and any other sources you’ve used in this work.
• Upload paper in pdf format to Moodle assignment

Criteria

• Does it show a strong understanding of Habermas and his concept of the public sphere?
• Does it show significant research on the contemporary use of news?
• Does it present an interesting and relevant perspective – that is, a strong thesis?
• Does it deliver this thesis with well-chosen examples and strong analysis?
• Do you arrive at an interesting conclusion?
• Is it well organized (with a strong structure and well-organized paragraphs)?
• Is it well written – in clear prose that sounds like you?
• Do you have an organized research folder of your materials?