What is the public sphere, who coined the term? Where within society does it exist and what function does it serve?  

Greta Thunberg, Environmental Activism, The Public Sphere and Global Media

I hope that you are all managing well in these strange times—keeping your spirits up and your feather-tip quills ever at-the-ready. In the spirit of keeping pace with things and casting a critical eye on all phenomena, this week will explore the idea of the “public sphere” and its role as space within which public opinion on matters of, for example, environmental justice, impending/potential ecological disaster, and climate change is shaped. Indeed, since former Vice-President and presidential candidate Al Gore’s (2006) landmark documentary, An Inconvenient Truth entered into the public sphere it has remained among the most influential works that continue to shape public opinion and local and global policy around such issues.

We will also discuss the role and the impact of “elite media” (Boykoff & Luedecke, 2017) in shaping opinion in the public sphere around environmentalism.  In this vein, we will explore the recently emergent figure, and by now a world-renowned activist, Greta Thunberg—comparing and contrasting ideologically-opposed media critiques of her growing profile and public efforts. And just to keep our thread of Hip Hop commentary going, we will sample Kanye West’s decade-old rant over media and government reactions to Hurricane Katrina, as a way to continue our ongoing discourse on celebrity humanitarianism/activism.

We will also think through the increasingly influential global entity that is the NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)—the corporate/organizational vehicle through which much of this and similar kind of activisms are made possible. This focus on NGOs should usefully inform your approach to your next proposal and project—in which you analyze a global media platform/organization.

As is the tradition, write 450-500 (2-3 solid paragraphs) in response to the prompts below. Explore the content, as well as the prompts below in as much depth as you can. Answer a minimum of (2) lettered prompts from each section below to make your case. Creatively title and subtitle your piece so as to attract comments from your peers.

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Section 1:

The New Public Sphere

The New Public Sphere – Manuel Castells (2008).pdf

(a) What is the public sphere, who coined the term? Where within society does it exist and what function does it serve?

(b) How, according to Manuel Castells has the public sphere become global?  What is the Global Civil Society? Choose any one of the (4) pull-quotes ( p. 81, 83, 87 & 89) in the Castells article, analyze it and use it to enrich your discussion. How has the rise of the internet and social media now implicated in the emergence of a global public sphere?

(c) What are NGOs according to Castells? What role have NGOs come to play in the Global Civil Society? What influence do these organizations have in the public sphere?  How are NGOs different from traditional political parties or governments?

(d) How, according to Castells are Social Movements implicated in the Global Civil Society and how do they influence the global public sphere? While it is clear that NGOs aim at doing good around the world, how might they also be read as culturally imperialist?

Jurgen Habermas and The Public Sphere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PzTyNe4tP4 (Links to an external site.)

Jurgen Habermas: The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1K46oK3xTU (Links to an external site.)

What is an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCxJ1Ug0v6s (Links to an external site.)

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Section 2: 

Greta Thunberg – Global Environmental Activism and the Elite Media

(a) Who is Greta Thunberg and how has she become the global figure that she now is recognized as? How does Thunberg use/access/mobilize in the global public sphere to effect/articulate/agitate for environmental/ecological justice? What is unique about Thunberg as compared to other notable climate activists? How has Thunberg become the contemporary face of global climate activism? How are the slogans “We don’t have time” and “Our House is On Fire” related to Thunberg’s efforts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFkQSGyeCW (Links to an external site.)

Greta Thunberg Is Leading a Global Climate Movement (Links to an external site.)

https://theintercept.com/2019/09/13/greta-thunberg-naomi-klein-climate/?comments=1 (Links to an external site.)

Greta Thunberg – Wiki.pdf

(b) Author Helen Beltram-Linne (2019) attempts to unpack/explain the Thunberg phenomenon, or the “Greta effect” as some have referred to it. The author gives Thunberg’s passion regional context.  How might Bertram-Linne’s work offer a counter to Morningstar’s critique of Thunberg as a puppet? Ultimately, how do Thunberg and her work resonate with you?  Draw quotes to make your case.

Greta Thunberg as A Social Product of Sweden – Helen Beltrame-Linné (2019).pdf

While Thunberg has managed in a relatively short time to amass significant support, and through her youthfulness draw attention toward her cause, critics of environmentalism have set about to debunk what they believe is the “Non-profit industrial complex”—arguing that Thunberg is but a puppet of more insidious capitalist forces, that seek to colonize, control and exploit the Green movement/environmental activism. One such critic is Cory Morningstar whose recently published “The Manufacturing of Greta Thunberg – For Consent” attempts to make this case.

(c) Given what you have learned of Thunberg, what do you make of Morningstar’s critique of environmentalism and of Thunberg’s place in it? What is Morningstar’s argument? Does Morningstar’s critique resonate with you? How do you respond to Morningstar? Compare and contrast Morningstar’s title with the titles of the major of books written about Thunberg thus far. See immediately below. Draw quotes to make your case

The Manufacturing of Greta Thunberg – Blurb 1.0.pdf

(d) Morningstar’s argument uses/appropriates the phrases “manufacturing,” “consent” and “industrial complex.” Whose material (which the previous course-author) do these terms evoke for you and how valid to you believe Morningstar’s argument to be. Draw quotes to make your case.

The Manufacturing of Greta Thunberg for Consent -The Political Economy of the Non-Profit Industrial Complex – Cory Morning Star (2019).pdf

The Untold Truth Of Greta Thunberg (Links to an external site.)

(e) How has elite media framed the Thunberg-era of climate activism, from what you can tell? Have they acted as climate “watchdogs,” corporate “lapdogs” or establishment “guard dogs” in your opinion? Has elite media supported environmental causes, cow-towed to capitalist interests, or protected the status quo? Use authors Boykoff and Luedecke’s (2017) article below to make your case.

Elite Media as Climate Watchdogs, Lapdogs, or Guard dogs? – Maxwell Boykoff and Gesa Luedecke (2017).pdf