politischöffentlicher

Politischöffentlicher is a neologism used in German-language discourse to describe something that is simultaneously political in substance and public in reach or visibility. The compound derives from Politisch (political) and öffentlich (public/open to the public) and is usually used as an attributive or predicative modifier in academic or journalistic contexts.

Typically, politischöffentlicher designates content, events, spaces, or performances that are intended to engage a broad audience with political issues, or that take place in or shape the public sphere. Examples include debates, campaigns, exhibitions, or social media conversations framed as political and accessible to the general public. In scholarly usage, the term highlights the intersection of political concerns with forms of public communication that invite participation, scrutiny, and accountability.

The concept is related to, but distinct from, terms such as Öffentlichkeitsarbeit (public relations) or Öffentlichkeit (the public sphere). It emphasizes the public encounter with politics rather than private or technical policy discussions. Its deployment can reflect methodological or rhetorical aims, and some writers treat it as a descriptive label while others use it as a normative judgment about the accessibility or inclusiveness of political discourse.

Because politischöffentlicher is not as established as longer-standing terms, its use can appear experimental or context-dependent. Readers should interpret it within the surrounding argument and the author’s definitional notes. See also public sphere, political communication, public discourse, and civic engagement.