| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 第5-6页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第6-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第8-9页 |
| CONTENTS | 第9-11页 |
| CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION | 第11-19页 |
| 1.1 Thesis Statement | 第11页 |
| 1.2 Research Questions | 第11页 |
| 1.3 Significance of the Research | 第11-12页 |
| 1.4 A Brief Review of Relevant Literature | 第12-16页 |
| 1.5 Theories and Methodology | 第16-19页 |
| CHAPTER TWO DISCOURSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE | 第19-29页 |
| 2.1 Theory of the Public Sphere of Jurgen Habermas | 第19-20页 |
| 2.2 Characters of the Public Sphere | 第20-23页 |
| 2.2.1 Free and Equal Public Involved in the Public Sphere | 第20-21页 |
| 2.2.2 Character of Rational Consultation of the Public Sphere | 第21-22页 |
| 2.2.3 Critical and Supervisory Function of the Public Sphere | 第22-23页 |
| 2.3 Carrier Format of the Public Sphere | 第23-25页 |
| 2.4 Value of the Public Sphere | 第25-26页 |
| 2.4.1 Generating the Public Rationality | 第25页 |
| 2.4.2 Promoting Social Consultative Democracy | 第25-26页 |
| 2.4.3 Supervising and Restricting the Public Power | 第26页 |
| 2.5 Applicability of the Public Sphere Theory in China | 第26-29页 |
| CHAPTER THREE EXPANSION AND ENRICHMENT OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE THROUGH MICRO-BLOG | 第29-55页 |
| 3.1 Conjunction of Micro-blog with the Public Sphere | 第30-42页 |
| 3.1.1 Identification of Participants | 第31-34页 |
| 3.1.2 Information Dissemination Characters of Micro-blog | 第34-38页 |
| 3.1.3 Micro-blog’s Characters of Consultation, Criticism and Supervision | 第38-42页 |
| 3.2 Significance of Micro-blog in Constructing the Public Sphere | 第42-55页 |
| 3.2.1 Building the Equal Discourse Space | 第42-44页 |
| 3.2.2 Promoting the Public Consciousness and Public Political Participation | 第44-47页 |
| 3.2.3 Forming the Public Opinions and Influencing Public Decision | 第47-49页 |
| 3.2.4 Facilitating Scientific Ruling and Social Democratization | 第49-55页 |
| CHAPTER FOUR DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE THROUGH MICRO-BLOG | 第55-69页 |
| 4.1 Existing Defects of Micro-blog in Practice | 第56-62页 |
| 4.1.1 Valuable Information Overwhelmed for Lacking Effective Supervision | 第56-58页 |
| 4.1.2 Low Efficiency in Government Micro-blog | 第58-59页 |
| 4.1.3 Function of Micro-blog Weakened in Excessive Entertainment and Commercialization | 第59-61页 |
| 4.1.4 Strengthening Information Privileges | 第61-62页 |
| 4.2 Revelation in Improving the Public Sphere | 第62-69页 |
| 4.2.1 Conforming to the Internet Development and Transforming Governance | 第62-64页 |
| 4.2.2 Guiding Micro-blog in the Public Sphere | 第64-65页 |
| 4.2.3 Completing the Relevant Laws and Regulations | 第65-66页 |
| 4.2.4 Combining Traditional Media with Micro-blog | 第66页 |
| 4.2.5 Cooperating in Citizen’s Quality Promotion | 第66-69页 |
| CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION | 第69-71页 |
| WORKS CITED | 第71-76页 |
