The Internet and Generalized Functions of the Public Sphere: Transformative Potentials From a Comparative Perspective
The Internet and Generalized Functions of the Public Sphere: Transformative Potentials From a Comparative Perspective
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互联网和公共领域的广义功能：比较视角下的变革潜力
DOI：
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发表时间：
2016
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
M. Kovic
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Adrian Rauchfleisch;M. Kovic
自从互联网出现以来，人们对从公共领域理论的角度分析和理解在线传播产生了极大的兴趣。关于互联网的特性，特别是社交媒体是否真的有助于公共领域的问题，是一个正在进行的、有些激烈的科学辩论。这篇文章的目的是双重的。首先，我们提出了一个公共领域广义函数的层次模型。在理论层面上，我们将公共领域的不同思想链交织在一起，由此产生的模型比这些思想链本身更具包容性，也不那么僵化。我们确定了四个广义的功能：身份建设，广告设置，控制和批评，审议。互联网对这些功能的贡献并不相等，我们将互联网对这些功能的影响评估为边际效用递减。其次，我们实证探索我们的模型在全球比较分析，重点是互联网的可扩展性。借助表明公共领域结构性先决条件的宏观变量，我们确定了互联网可能有助于每个国家公共领域的最高功能。基于这一方法，未来的研究可以情境化：基于案例研究的研究可以清晰地阐明关于互联网对公共领域的影响的期望。
Almost since the advent of the Internet, there has been great interest in analyzing and understanding online communication from the perspective of public sphere theory. The question of whether the properties of the Internet and, specifically, social media actually contribute to the public sphere is the matter of ongoing and somewhat heated scientific debate. The aim of the article is twofold. First, we propose a hierarchical model of generalized functions of public sphere. On a theoretical level, we interweave different strands of thought on the public sphere, and the resulting model is more inclusive and less rigid than each of those strands on their own. We identify four generalized functions: identity building, agenda-setting, control and criticism, and deliberation. The Internet does not contribute equally to these functions and we evaluate the impact of the Internet on each of these functions as a diminishing marginal utility. Second, we empirically explore the plausibility of our model in a global comparative analysis with focus on the Internet. With the help of macro-level variables which indicate the structural preconditions for a public sphere, we identify the highest possible function of the public sphere for each country to which the Internet can potentially contribute. Based on this approach, future research can be contextualized: case-study-based research can plausibly articulate expectations regarding the impact of the Internet on the public sphere.