In Habermas’ words, the public sphere means “first of all a realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed (Habermas, Lennox & Lennox 1974, p.49). In his opinion, the public sphere as a sphere which mediates between society and state, in which the public organizes itself as the bearer or public opinion, accords with the principle of public information, which once had to be fought for against the arcane policies of monarchies and which since that time has made possible the democratic control of state (p.50). The idea of the public sphere, preserved in the social welfare state mass democracy, is an idea which calls for a rationalization of power through the medium of public discussion among private individuals (p.55).
Throughout the years, however, the theory has received much criticism, particularly with regard to its requirement of a value-free engagement of the participants (Kehl 2014, p.17). For those who are, for instance, part of “post-diasporic” generations (those born to immigrant parents), inclusion in the public sphere is not always guaranteed. The struggle within the public sphere for inclusion in the process of public debate, then, means a trajectory towards empowerment of minority groups, in order to counter feelings of exclusion, marginalization, and unwantedness.
As an example, Portia’s (2013) study about the art scene in Johannesburg shows that “a rich art scene is one that utilizes a variety of spaces to display critical works of art. Platforms such as the growing number of alternative art spaces in Johannesburg "provide an opportunity for multiple art narratives” (p.367). In her analysis, alternative art spaces are spaces that, for the most part, challenge the notion of the white cube that is frequently adopted by commercial art galleries and other exhibition spaces. Additionally, “alternative spaces, besides providing exciting art experiences, often activate spaces that do not exist on the locale’s art map, and that is the case with most alternative spaces in Johannesburg” (p.369). Moreover, they function as a “shared communal space” for local artists (p.371).
In short, the concept of alternative space can be an interesting analytical lens to look at spaces created within the public sphere by and for minority and special-interest groups, providing for instance a safe haven, a space for creativity, expression and meaning-making, among others. They might give us an interesting insight in how notions of mobility, as well as ideas of change and resistance come together and are being expressed, how urban life is envisioned and shaped, how the control of space and the public sphere is reconfigured and renegotiated, and how networks between artists are created and strengthened.