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Rethinking the Post‐Truth Polarisation Narrative: Social Roles and Hinge Commitments in the Plural Public Sphere
Author(s) -
Ashton Natalie Alana,
Cruft Rowan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the political quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.373
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1467-923X
pISSN - 0032-3179
DOI - 10.1111/1467-923x.13032
Subject(s) - element (criminal law) , narrative , plural , public sphere , social media , sociology , epistemology , public relations , political science , media studies , law , philosophy , linguistics , politics
This article critically evaluates what we call the ‘popular narrative’ about the state of the public sphere. We identify three elements of this popular narrative (the post‐truth element, the polarisation element and the new technology element), and draw on philosophical work on hinge epistemology and social roles to challenge each one. We propose, instead, that public debate has always depended on non‐evidential commitments, that it has always been home to significant, deep division, and that social media, rather than causing these phenomena, has just made them more visible. Finally, we recommend some changes to traditional and social media which we believe would help foster a healthier, more inclusive, public sphere.