Network Public Sphere Construction And Its Impacts On Users' Identification

The development and the extensive use of the internet generated a new type of public sphere in cyberspace, which is known as"internet public sphere". As new communication fields where anyone can express his/her opinions and discuss some public issues with others equally, internet forums are becoming the most important and constructive parts of the internet public sphere in China. Not only internet forums related with political issues are considered as new type of public sphere, but also those with cultural and recreational subjects.Douban.com is one of the most successful commercial internet forums in China.This dissertation is mainly based on the public sphere theory of Hannah Arendt and Charles Taylor, and proposes four main elements required as a public sphere nowadays. They are①common subjects which most people care about,②equality and openness,③reasonable virtually intercourse, and④multiformity of opinions.These elements are main characteristic that any form of sphere needs for becoming public sphere. Douban.com is taken as an exemplification case which possesses the potential to be public sphere. Combined with the theory of Identification, the author addresses a new angle to analysis major impacts of internet public sphere onto individuals as well as the society. Last but not the least, the author probes into the construction of internet public sphere and discusses the interaction between virtually and realistic opinion fields, douban.com as an example.