The evolution of public debates: from the Greek Agora to social media

Abstract

This article investigates the transformation of public debate spaces, from the Greek Agora to contemporary social networks, based on Jürgen Habermas' theory of the Public Sphere. It begins with the problematic of how digital technologies and recent social dynamics have reconfigured the forms of deliberation and citizen participation, raising questions about the quality and inclusion in current public discussion environments. The analysis, of a qualitative nature and based on a bibliographic review, examines the changes in discursive practices throughout history and their social, cultural and political implications. The results indicate that, although digital platforms expand access to public debate, they also impose new challenges to the construction of a democratic public sphere, such as discursive fragmentation and the dissemination of misinformation. The study concludes that understanding these transformations is essential to promote a more inclusive, critical and participatory public sphere in the digital age.