Communicating Europe In The Post-Pandemic Scenario: Towards A European Post-Digital Public Sphere?

The EU is striving to become more sustainable and equitable in the post-pandemic scenario through a twin transition towards environmentally and digitally livable environments. This transition requires successful management and communication of related public policies. Nonetheless, European public institutional communication has been often neglected and lacks proper accessibility and effectiveness. This deficit in communication has led to criticism of the EU for being distant from its popular base, leading to the rise of populist, Eurosceptic, and eurocritical narratives. The development of digital technologies offers new perspectives for addressing these challenges. The platformed and networked societies, along with the rapid spread of generative AI, have caught the attention of European institutions. They recognize the potential as well as the risks associated with these new frontiers for renewing their communication strategies. The evolving nature of European public institutional communication is gradually shifting towards a citizen-oriented, multi-level, and user-friendly model centered around digital communication. Recent measures taken by the EU in information, communication, and participation indicate that the digital realm is no longer just a possibility but a reality that must be harnessed while being mindful of its limitations and opportunities. The interaction between online and offline practices becomes explicit in this context. The transition from the Web 1.0 to the Web 4.0, which emphasizes interactions between humans, platforms, and algorithms, highlights the hybridization of communication practices. This framework sets the stage for a new hypothesis: that of a European post-digital public sphere, which goes beyond traditional notions, poses new challenges and might find in the post-pandemic scenario a potential ground for development.