Habermas and the Public Sphere

Craig Jackson Calhoun (born 1952) is an American sociologist and social theorist known for his work in critical social theory, public sociology, and the study of social change. His scholarship has focused on how social movements, democracy, nationalism, and the public sphere emerge from the interaction of local communities with larger social structures. Calhoun's research is notably interdisciplinary and bridges anthropology, history, politics, religion, and economics in exploring questions of collective action and social development across diverse contexts (from historical case studies in 18th century Lisbon to contemporary projects in China and the Horn of Africa). He has been described as an intellectual who strives to embed academic knowledge in public life, reflecting a commitment to "ensure academia is not aloof from society, but embedded in it." Calhoun is currently University Professor of social sciences at Arizona State University. He served as Director and President of the LSE from 2012 to 2016.