New Video Commentary: Rúrion Melo on Subaltern Counterpublics

We are excited to publish a new interview with Rúrion Melo on his article “Counterpublics and the New Conflicts of the Public Sphere,” recently translated by the CritUP network. In this commentary, Melo presents his central arguments by revisiting Fraser’s concept of subaltern counterpublics for contemporary critical theory, rethinking it against the backdrop of recent Brazilian history and the rise of authoritarianism. Rúrion Melo is a Professor of Political Science at the University of São Paulo (USP), a researcher of the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (CEBRAP), and part of the CritUP network. His work focuses on critical theory—with an emphasis on Habermas and Honneth—as well as Marxism, theories of democracy and the public sphere. Currently, he is working on critical race theory and preparing a publication on the subject.