Nominated by Politica (Denmark)

Abstract

The basic proposition of this article is that the democratic potential of professionalization clearly outweighs the problems, at least in the Danish case, but probably also more generally. Thus, my claim is that the professionalization of political communication contributes positively to the development of the public sphere and more democratic communication in the political system as well as the journalistic system. This claim is, however, not based on critical public sphere theory, but rather sociological systems theory headed first and foremost by Niklas Luhmann. Thus, the article introduces the functionalistic strategy of analysis of systems theory as an alternative to what could be called the utopian method of critical public sphere theory. In the final instance, the choice between these two traditions is simply a matter of analytical approach.

Recommended Citation

Esmark, Anders (2007) "A Functional Public Sphere? A Systems Theoretical Look at the Professionalization of Political Communication," World Political Science Review: Vol. 3 : Iss. 3, Article 4.
DOI: 10.2202/1935-6226.1025
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/wpsr/vol3/iss3/art4