Jürgen Habermas: Critic in the Public Sphere

How has Jürgen Habermas helped to shape the critical consciousness in postwar Germany? How has he defined a consistent theory and practice of communicative action?

The most important intellectual in (West) Germany for the past three decades, Habermas has been a seminal contributor to fields ranging from sociology and political science to philosophy and cultural studies. As a defender of the democratic tradition and an advocate of critical thought, he has initiated or participated in debates over the most important issues in contemporary philosophy and the social sciences. His theoretical work postulates the centrality of communication and understanding, and as such his strategy of debate is marked by a politically informed unity of theory and practice.

Holub’s book is the first detailed account of the major debates in which Habermas has engaged since the early sixties. It stems from the conviction that his critics have not understood the political strategy behind his various interventions, or the consistency that informs his intellectual activities. Habermas is thus viewed in dialogue with other important figures in philosophical, sociological and political discussions & controversies in Germany, Europe, ‘the West’, and the world.

Holub demonstrates how Habermas pursues a course that incorporates various aspects of his opponents’ positions, while simultaneously defending perceived threats to democracy and open discussion.