Structure and agency are two theoretical terms used to explain the capacity with which we, as people, can be individuals, and the extent to which these influences limit our individuality. Structure refers to the way a society is organized. Agency refers to the behaviors and actions of individuals within the social structure. Action is limited by structure due to cultural barriers and inequalities within the structure. In this essay, I will provide an overview of why critical theorists are concerned about these inequalities, and I will further identify problems within the system contributing to unequal access to the public sphere, related specifically to inequalities class and gender. stratified when considering social classes, that is, upper class, middle class, lower class, and working class citizens. That being said, not everyone has the same access to the superstructure; thus creating tensions. The biggest problem when considering structure and action is the constant struggle and negotiation of power inequality. Among the power asymmetry, there are two major disparities: class and gender. As a critical theorist, one must consider the individual's participation in the public sphere; “The word signifies a false worldview that is in the interest of powerful citizens in order to keep subordinate classes oppressed” (Habermas, 10). Although the public sphere is virtually a democratic sphere where ideas can circulate and opinions are formed, there are certain restrictions when referring to the lower classes and women and therefore how their actions as individuals are limited. The public sphere has been falsely represented as a virtual place where opinions can be shared and debated; ...... middle of paper ...... bourgeois classes remain dominant, their male counterparts also continue to maintain their dominant status in our hegemonic media-driven society. Works Cited Habermas, Jurgen. (1997) The public sphere: Introduction. Roberts, J., Crossley, N. (2004) New Perspectives on the Public Sphere: Introduction. Australia: Blackwell. Golding, P & Murdock, G. (2000) Culture, Communications and Political Economy. Elaborated in Habermas, J (1989) The Structural Transformatin of the Public Sphere. Cambridge: Polity Press. Casey, B., et al. (2002) Television studies: key concepts: gender. New York: Routledge. O'Shaughnessy, M., Stadler, J. (2009) Media and society: an introduction. Dominant ideology and hegemony. London: Oxford. Baran, Stanley & Davis, Dennis. (2009) Introduction to Mass Communication Theory: Critical Theory. Massachusetts: Cengage Learning