The Refiguration of Public Communication: A Relational and Process-oriented Perspective

Abstract

In the field of communication and media research, the "public sphere" and its "structural change" have long been central themes, particularly in the development of communication within society and politics. However, this concept often suffers from an imprecise norma- tive profile and vague empirical scope. This paper introduces a novel theoretical approach that emphasizes a more rigorous relational and process-oriented perspective. We propose conceptualizing the transformation of public communication as a process of refiguration. First, we examine media-environmental changes through the lens of mediatization theory. Then, we explore how this shift in public communication can be understood as refigura- tion, highlighting that public communication is not confined to a singular public sphere but involves the transformation of relational dynamics among at least three distinct types of publics. Finally, we discuss how this relational and process-oriented perspective can be analytically realized. While our argument is grounded in extensive empirical research, this paper primarily aims to make a theoretical contribution.