This important and timely book brings out the centrality of the public sphere to Habermas's overall project and shows how and why he has recently returned to the topic with ever-growing urgency.

William Outhwaite, Newcastle University

Jürgen Habermas' Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere is undeniably one of the most significant works of political and social analysis written in any language since 1945. And there may be no scholar anywhere who knows more about Habermas' study than Michael Hofmann. Hofmann not only offers a provocative analysis of the strengths and possible weaknesses of Habermas' famous account of the public sphere, but he also creatively suggests why it remains relevant for understanding politics and society.

William E. Scheuerman, Indiana University

Hofmann provides a comprehensive study of Habermas’s seminal work on the role of the public sphere in a liberal democracy as well as a deeply informed review of the large critical reception since its publication. This volume will be indispensable for anyone who wishes to understand the importance of the idea of the public sphere not only for Habermas’s entire written corpus but also for any well-functioning democracy.

Kenneth Baynes, Syracuse University

In his book, Michael Hofmann develops a philosophical reconstruction and historical contextualization of Habermas' Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere that is as fascinating as it is detailed. Hofmann shows how already this early book by Habermas is not only characterized by a liberal ideology, but that hope in the self-healing powers of liberal reason is deceptive.

Dirk Jörke, Technische Universität Darmstadt

Michael Hofmann knows Habermas’ Structural Transformation inside/out and top-to-bottom. In this study of the development and context of that classic work, he not only demonstrates his unparalleled knowledge; he also illuminates historical events like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the origins of the New Left through Habermas. For its historical apercus, broad knowledge and lucid writing, Reading Habermas is essential for those interested in public life and Habermas.

Russell Jacoby, University of California Los Angeles

For those concerned about the rise of “post-truth” politics and the apparent erosion of constitutional norms in well-established constitutional democracies, Jürgen Habermas’s classic Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere is essential reading. Guided by his insight that the health of a democracy is connected to the health of its public sphere, Habermas provides a valuable examination of the nature and conditions of constitutional government and a critique of the degeneration of public argument into modes of mass manipulation. Hofmann’s Reading Habermas: Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere is perhaps the most detailed reading guide in English for Habermas’s book. Hofmann places it under the microscope and links Habermas’s study to a broader intellectual history, the development of neoliberalism, and particular historical events. Reading Habermas is an extraordinary piece of Habermas scholarship and a valuable contribution to discussions about the relation between political economy and democratic theory. Highly recommended. Graduate students and faculty.

Choice Reviews