The public sphere and the academic conference: deliberation, communication and participation?

Abstract

The past decade has seen a great deal of discussion about the limited nature of opportunities for citizens to engage in meaningful debate and deliberation over matters of public concern such as criminal justice. This paper reflects upon the ways in which both theory and practice can be used to better understand the nature of the public sphere and the potential for enhanced public communication. In particular, the paper will consider the role of an academic conference such as ‘Cross-Border and Global Contexts’ within debates around the relationship between crime, the media, and the public sphere. How can academic practice play a part in the enhancing of spaces of deliberation and opening up flows of communication? Is such a process possible within the context of an increasingly trivialized and commercialized public sphere?