Every society faces more problems, crises, and competing demands than it can possibly address at once. In an age of information overload, algorithmic curation, and growing political complexity, one democratic question has become increasingly urgent: Who gets to decide what we pay attention to?
At Arendalsuka, philosophers Zsolt Kapelner and Mathea Slåttholm Sagdahl will explore how democratic societies ought to prioritise among competing challenges, and why the politics of attention has become one of the defining questions of our time.
Public agendas are not formed neutrally. Media organisations, digital platforms, political actors, and institutions all shape which issues become visible, which voices are amplified, and which concerns remain in the shadows. The ability to direct collective attention is therefore also a form of political power.
This raises a particularly important question for democracy: What happens to groups that lack this power? Marginalised communities often struggle to place their own experiences and concerns on the public agenda. Their problems may remain invisible, ignored, or treated as less urgent than the concerns of more powerful groups.
At the same time, visibility itself can be double-edged. Minority groups frequently receive attention through narratives constructed by others—often as objects of controversy, fear, or suspicion rather than as participants in shaping the public conversation. Public attention can therefore both empower and marginalise.
Drawing on recent work in democratic theory and the ethics of public discourse, Kapelner and Sagdahl ask:
- Who gets to shape our collective priorities?
- Which voices and experiences are systematically overlooked?
- What responsibilities do media institutions and digital platforms have in directing public attention?
- And how can democratic societies create forms of agenda-setting that are more inclusive, representative, and responsive to those whose concerns too often remain unheard?
We hope to see you there!