Synopses & Reviews
James Melton's accessible study examines the rise of "the public" in eighteenth-century Europe. Focusing on England, France, and the German-speaking territories, this is the first critical reassessment of what the philosopher JÜrgen Habermas called the "bourgeois public sphere" of the eighteenth century. Topics include the growing importance of public opinion in political life, transformations of the literary public realm, eighteenth-century authorship, theater publics, and new practices of sociability as they developed in salons, coffeehouses, taverns and Masonic lodges.
Synopsis
In the New Approaches to European History series, this title provides an inter-disciplinary study of the rise of âthe publicâin eighteenth-century Europe. James Meltonâs lucid and accessible account will be of interest to students of social and political history, literary studies, political theory, and the history of women.
Table of Contents
Introduction: what is the public sphere? Part I. Politics and the Rise of Public Opinion: The Cases of England and France: 1. The peculiarities of the English; 2. Opacity and transparency: French political culture in the eighteenth century; Part II. Readers, Writers and Spectators: 3. Reading publics: transformations of the literary public sphere; 4. Eighteenth century authorship; 5. From courts to consumers: theatre publics; Part III. Being Sociable: 6. Enlightenment salons; 7. Drinking in public: taverns and coffeehouses; 8. Freemasons; Conclusion.