Habermas in 2027: trust, fragmentation and the public sphere in the age of AI

About this course

The course introduces Habermas’s key ideas, including the public sphere, critical publicity, refeudalisation, manufactured publicity, public opinion and the network of publics. These concepts are then used to examine declining trust in government and news, communities that no longer meet across differences, and generative AI’s role in producing opinions and shaping public communication. Teaching combines presentations with structured discussion. Participants will consider whether Habermas’s framework still explains these developments, where it needs revision, and what democratic repair might involve, including public service media, citizens’ assemblies and AI governance.

What you'll learn

• Explain Habermas’s account of the public sphere and its decline.
• Apply concepts such as refeudalisation, manufactured publicity and critical publicity to debates about trust, fragmentation and artificial intelligence.
• Assess where Habermas’s theory remains useful and where it may require revision.

Is this course right for you?

This introductory course is intended for learners with no prior study of Habermas or political philosophy. It involves listening to presentations and responding to other viewpoints in structured discussion, with an interest in current affairs, media or technology described as sufficient preparation.

• No previous study of Habermas or political philosophy is required.
• Participation includes discussion of views that may differ from one’s own.
• No work outside the class is required.

Before you go

• Participants may wish to take notes for future reference.