Accessing the Public Sphere: An Introduction to the Volume

In our globalized world, spaces for new contact, transfer, and interaction are rapidly generated and (re)shaped. Large-scale mobility phenomena and the increasing speed of communications lead to unprecedented forms of inter- and multicultural coexistence and communication that are in principle subject to reflexive negotiation. Very often, however, communication is frustrated through reciprocal mistrust, which increases with the polarization of the public opinion. New forms of individual and societal disputes then emerge that urge us to search for different forms of mediation, not only to navigate ordinary cultural conflicts, but also for helping people overcome cultural asymmetries, and gain their access to the public sphere. By way of introduction to the volume, after reviewing different approaches to the public sphere, we argue that in this context, a practice-centered approach to the public sphere is particularly suited to understand the role of mediators and mediating institutions.