Date on Senior Honors Thesis
5-2025
Document Type
Senior Honors Thesis
Degree Name
B.A.
Department
Philosophy
Committee Chair
James Barry
Author's Keywords
Arendt; Habermas; Critical Theory; Political Philosophy; Frankfurt School; Contemporary Philosophy
Abstract
Hannah Arendt’s and Jürgen Habermas’s accounts of the public are notable and important cornerstones in contemporary western political philosophy. This thesis will offer characterizations of Arendt’s account of the public realm in The Human Condition, and Habermas’s account of the public sphere in The Structural Transformation of The Public Realm, comparing and contrasting these accounts to each other in order to highlight the uniqueness of each account; as well the possible contemporary political relevance of these accounts.
Recommended Citation
Heggie, Andrew, "The Publics of Hannah Arendt and Jürgen Habermas" (2025). College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses. Paper 342.
Retrieved from https://ir.library.louisville.edu/honors/342
Lay Summary
Hannah Arendt and Jürgen Habermas are notable and influential figures in contemporary Western political philosophy. This thesis will review both authors’ accounts of the public realm and sphere. For both authors the public is a form of relationships between individuals which allows them to express their individuality and opinions to other individuals. This thesis will then compare and contrast both accounts of the public and end in a conclusion which argues that these accounts of the public may offer us some insights into contemporary political problems, and alternatives political solutions.
