The Korea Local Administration Review

This research attempts to set up the concept of ‘autonomy in life’ with a critique of the current concept of ‘local autonomy’ which could cover the relationship among citizens rather than local government and citizens. Firstly, it explored the relationships among citizen in their life with the theoretical perspective from ‘life world’ of Jurgen Habermas and ‘reflexivity’ and ‘life politics’ of Anthony Giddens. Secondly, in order to identify the rationale of local government’s intervention in life world where the relationships among citizens are developed, it investigated the concept of public sphere by the reflection on the study of Hannah Arendt, Jurgen Habermas and the case of Japan and Korea.
The research extracts three elements for the concept of ‘autonomy in life’ which are ‘life world’, ‘relationships among citizens’ and ‘public sphere’. In the light of these conclusions, this study concludes the concept of ‘autonomy in life’ as “activities enhancing public welfare in their local area through autonomous and communicative relationships among citizens”.

□ Keywords: Autonomy in Life, Life Politics, Local Autonomy