Power, Public Space, and Democracy with Sandra Laugier

The idea of public space has been transformed in recent decades, with restrictions on movement and interaction in public; with the retraction of lives into the home and private space; with private space made public through internet relationships; with social distancing, remote work, and the cities’ space occupied, during COVID confinement, by so-called “essential” workers; with the restriction of gatherings and political demonstrations in public space. 

These and other recent changes require that we revisit the very concepts of public space and democracy. New or newly urgent transformations include the occupation of squares and public spaces; the demand for spaces of conversation and expression for those without a voice; the transition of private matters into the public realm through verbal expression; and the expression and circulation of public issues within popular cultures. As a result, the question of public space is increasingly intertwined with that of private spaces, such as the home or individual subjectivities, forming an internal, logical relationship.

Sandra Laugier is a French philosopher, whose work focuses on moral philosophy, political philosophy, philosophy of language, gender studies, and popular culture. She is a full Professor of Philosophy at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and a Senior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France. She currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Institut des Sciences Juridique et Philosophique de la Sorbonne (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne/CNRS). In 2014, she received the title of the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur. In 2022, she was awarded the Grand Prix Moron by the Académie française. In 2024, she was elected to the American Philosophical Society.

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