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

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.