In theoretical terms the concept of ‘public’ is still closely related to the concept of the nation state, which is widely regarded as a prerequisite for a functioning ‘public’. Meanwhile, processes of transnational integration and changing modes of communication within the nation states challenge concepts of ‘public’. Current research either denies the emergence of transnational ‘publics’ and/or bemoans the decreasing quality and quantity of citizens’ engagement in national ‘publics’. Our paper will argue that these diagnoses are less a problem of deficits within the performance of civil society organisations than conceptual deficiencies. In order to overcome the currently prevailing ‘methodological nationalism’, we propose the concept of ‘(trans-) national discursive spheres’ as an alternative to contemporary conceptions of ‘public’. This alternative concept is not stuck within the nation state. And it allows including new forms of political participation and new types of civil society actors in empirical research.
As a first example to discuss this new concept of ‘(trans-) national discursive spheres’ we will present the case of the European Citizens’ Initiative. Starting on April 1st 2012 one million citizens of the EU, from at least seven member states, are given the opportunity to invite the European Commission to submit a proposal for a European legal act. This new instrument of participative democracy is a unique test device to research the interaction of traditional representative bodies (Council, European Parliament and Commission), traditional civil society organisations, active on EU level, and non-established types of civil society actors, all involved in a ‘transnational discursive sphere’ created by each initiative. Being centred around the respective issue of each initiative, due to the intensive use of new forms of communication, and the involvement of different constituencies these ‘transnational discursive spheres’ will not live up to the standards of ‘traditional’ concepts of ‘public’. However, this new mode of engagement on the EU level will contribute to the legitimacy dimension of the EU.
