Defekte Debatten

A scientifically grounded, practically experienced contribution to the debate about the state of discourse, a book that raises alarm, identifies the enemies and dangers to democracy, opinion formation, and coexistence, and offers concrete suggestions for improvement so that we can finally argue better again.

Too loud, too much, too stupid; no one listens anymore, no one is flexible or open, or even remotely benevolent.

Many topics provide examples of the dysfunctional status quo of political communication, highlighting the impossibility of open-ended public opinion formation. This is the common finding: the culture of debate in Germany is in a desolate state.

From the perspective of involved experts, political scientist Julia Reuschenbach and radio journalist Korbinian Frenzel analyze our capacity for debate. They categorize the wide array of involved actors and examine who falls victim to which illusions. They identify the defects plaguing the discourse system and the new challenges that arise. Ultimately, they sketch a way out of the misery, presenting ideas, solutions, and concrete proposals for action.