弗莱舍(Fraser,1992)一方面高度评价公共领域这一民主范式,认为如果不从某种方式上运用这一概念,任何试图理解晚期资本主义民主局限性的努力都不会成功。另一方面,弗莱舍指出哈贝马斯理想化的公共领域是一元的、综合的、包罗万象的(single, comprehensive and overarching)公共领域。虽然哈贝马斯(1974:49)发表在《新德国批评》的文章暗示一个大的公共领域可能包含多个小公共领域,他没有直接称之为“多元公共领域”,而是保守地说“每一次对话形成一部分公共领域,在此过程中私人个体集合形成一个公共体”。弗莱舍(Fraser,1992)认为建立多元公共领域无论在多元文化社会还是在层级社会都比一元论公共领域更有利于参与式民主的发展,[ii]原因在于修正主义史学发现一元论资产阶级公共领域事实上服从于一定的形式与礼仪规范,从而排除了女性、平民与少数族裔的参与。此外,从属性群体缺乏平等参与的物质基础,比如在使用作为观点流通载体的传播媒介上的平等。即使从属性群体能够被纳入到一元论公共领域中,只要有社会不平等存在,商议总是有利于主导性群体的利益。这一观点有其传播学依据:(1)女性主义媒介研究发现,在混和性别的商议中,男性总是倾向于打断女性的发言;男性总是抢得更多、更长的发言机会;女性干预男性发言的要求更容易被忽略(Fraser,1992)。这也是当代传播学者倡导以“倾听”伦理(Downing,2007)与“理解权”(Husband, 1996)为核心的“第三代传播权”的原因之一;(2)在一元论公共领域中,从属性群体缺乏商议他们自身目标与战略的独立空间。在支配性群体的监视下,从属性群体如骨鲠在喉,无法完成群体内传播过程以达成一致意见。这种情形使所谓的平等商议成为支配性群体实施控制的面具,“将无权的公众吸收到一个虚假的‘我们’,代表的却是权势者(的利益)”(Mansbridge,1990:127)。传播学研究中的群体压力与“沉默的螺旋”机制,以及布尔迪厄(Bourdieu,1991)的象征性暴力与误识机制都可以为这一依据提供佐证。此外,迈克·华纳(Warner,2002)认为如果公共领域的讨论话题涉及与社会性别与性取向相关的身份认同与社会关系的改变,涉及到人们视自我与身体为公共还是私人领域的习性的改变,很难想象理性批判的讨论可以维持,受教育影响与男性气质支配的社会区隔倾向于设置公共领域的边界排除“另类”话题。
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