Rethinking the Public Sphere in the Post-truth Era

Ever since the Age of Enlightenment, individuals and social structures have strived to cultivate a discursive arena in which the unheard should not only be heard but also given the chance to advance the fundamental principles of solidarity and justice in a democracy. The public sphere paves the path for social interaction and intersubjective understanding of individuals based on civil exchange of reasons outside the confines of public institutions. By fostering communication and enabling collaborative co-creation, it facilitates everyone with equal liberty to speak their minds on any concern matter as the basis for mutual understanding, shared knowledge, trust, and interpersonal relationships. Keeping in mind the rich intellectual history of the concept, the purpose of this article would be to examine whether a vibrant public sphere helps people emancipate themselves from imposed authority or a spiral of silence and participate in peripheral awareness.