Reign of Appearances: The Misery and Splendor of the Public Sphere

The public sphere is the realm of appearances, where spectacle dominates dialogue and undermines liberal democracy, law, and morality. It also liberates us from private life and fosters an aesthetic experience. Reign of Appearances explores the logic of the public sphere through various cases, such as homosexuality, the 2008 crash, antisemitism, confidence in presidents, social media, and violence.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 07 September 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The public sphere, a realm of appearances rather than citizenship, revolves around spectacle rather than dialogue. It is characterized by an imbalance between those who act and those who watch, subjecting all its contents to visibility. This asymmetry can undermine liberal democracy, law, and morality. However, the public sphere also offers liberation from the constraints of private life and fosters a vital aesthetic experience.

Reign of Appearances, a comprehensive book, employs a diverse range of cases to unravel the logic of the public sphere. These cases encompass homosexuality in Victorian England, the 2008 financial crisis, antisemitism in Europe, trust in American presidents, communications on social media, special prosecutor investigations, the visibility of African-Americans, violence during the French Revolution, the Islamic veil, contemporary sexual politics, public executions, and pricing in art. This unconventional account of the public sphere is essential reading for anyone seeking to comprehend the impact of visibility in urban life, politics, and the media.

In conclusion, the public sphere is a complex and multifaceted realm that encompasses both the challenges and opportunities of visibility. While it can undermine democratic values, it also offers a space for critical reflection and the cultivation of aesthetic experiences. By examining the cases presented in Reign of Appearances, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the effects of visibility in our contemporary world.

ISBN-13: 9781316632383