Publics/
Mainstream Publics/
Counter-Publics

Nina Springer, Universität Münster, Germany
nina.springer@uni-muenster.de

Works on counter-publics critically engage with classical public sphere theory and its inherent notion that there is a single, overarching public sphere for civic deliberation on state activities. Inspired by Nancy Fraser, the following understanding of counter-publics is widely held in the literature: (1) subaltern publics or publics aware of their subordinate status; (2) that stand in a conflictual relationship; (3) with dominant or mainstream publics; (4) that criticise discursive mechanisms of exclusion related to participation, topics/issues, and styles of speech. Counter-publics (5) seek to overcome these exclusions in the hope that power structures can be changed, thereby (6) expanding discursive space.

Critical thinkers argue that political deliberation and public opinion formation are permeated by societal hierarchies and power structures, and that even democratic decisions are inevitably shaped by majority consensus, often favoring dominant groups in society. Counter-publics advocate alternative positions with divergent terminology, communication styles, and norms.

According to Fraser, counter-publics function, on the one hand, as spaces of refuge and reorganisation, and on the other hand, as hubs and preparation sites for activist efforts targeting wider audiences. In this way, counter-publics serve both inward-looking goals as safe spaces for developing and cultivating alternative identities and objectives; and outward-looking goals, aiming to challenge, disrupt, and reshape dominant public consensus by reaching out to and connecting with larger segments of the audience. Intersections for such outward-looking activities, e.g., to influence public opinion, can be found on social media or in commenting spaces on news sites. Although originally conceived as discursive arenas for marginalised groups, recent research also applies the concept to nationalistic and populist discourses.

Keywords: discursive space, power structures, mechanisms of exclusion

Related Entries: Attitude, Audience Segmentation, Collectivisation, Persuasion, Identity

References:
Asen, R. (2000). Seeking the “counter” in counterpublics. Communication Theory, 10(4), 424-446. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.2000.tb00201.x
Fraser, N. (1990). Rethinking the public sphere: A contribution to the critique of actually existing democracy. Social Text 25/26, 56–80. https://doi.org/10.2307/466240
Toepfl, F., & Piwoni, E. (2018). Targeting dominant publics: How counterpublic commenters align their efforts with mainstream news. New Media and Society, 20(5) 2011–2027. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444817712085
Warner, M. (2002). Publics and counterpublics. Public Culture, 14(1), 49-90. https://www.muse.jhu.edu/article/26277