Creating Meaning, Creating Citizens: The U.S. Supreme Court and the Control of Meaning in the Public Sphere

This chapter reflects my long interest in trying to understand the relationship between institutions of democracy, such as the U.S. Supreme Court and the press, and public life in the United States. Over the years, I have examined that relationship through the lens of critical theory and, more specifically, the work of Jürgen Habermas. As Habermas teaches us, the press is vital to the existence of an active public sphere, helping to disperse information to a wider group of citizens. The judicial system tells us how we should interact with other citizens and what the relationship is between citizens and democratic institutions. In short, these institutions can either help citizens achieve the realization of democracy or impede those efforts.