The conceptual public sphere and its problems: Habermas, political action and the Arab states
| Date | 01 October 2016 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1755088216651302 |
| Published date | 01 October 2016 |
| Author | Lucy M Abbott |
Journal of International Political Theory
2016, Vol. 12(3) 365 –379
© The Author(s) 2016
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DOI: 10.1177/1755088216651302
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The conceptual public sphere
and its problems: Habermas,
political action and the Arab
states
Lucy M Abbott
University of Oxford, UK
Abstract
The main purpose of this article is to examine how Habermas’ account of the
transformation of the public sphere is used in the study of political change in the Arab
states of the Middle East. The study aims to demonstrate that while Habermas’ motif
may provide several constructive pathways forward for the study of transformation
in this regional context, its numerous shortcomings leave it susceptible to conceptual
overstretch. With the aim of showing this, the article is divided into three sections. The
first section shows how the concept has been applied. The second engages critically with
the prominent account of the Arab public sphere by reflecting on (1) its methodological
assumptions, (2) its empirical claims and (3) its own political role. The third section
explores the shortcomings of Habermas’ account and how these present difficulties
when making empirical claims about political action and transformation in the Arab
states of the Middle East.
Keywords
Democratic theory, democratisation, Habermas, Middle East, public sphere
Introduction
A distinct public sphere research programme has emerged in the study of democratisa-
tion in the Arab states of the Middle East. It has grounded political analysis in Yemen
(see Wedeen, 2007), Iraq (see Lynch, 2003, 2006), Saudi Arabia (see Matthiesen, 2015)
and the wider Arab region (see Abdelmoula, 2015; Ayish, 2008; Lynch, 2006; Mellor,
Corresponding author:
Lucy M Abbott, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, Manor Road,
Oxford OX1 3UQ, UK.
Email: lucy.abbott@politics.ox.ac.uk
651302IPT0010.1177/1755088216651302Journal of International Political TheoryAbbott
research-article2016
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