He has authored several books and numerous articles on the subject, and his writings have helped shaped the field of modern rhetoric.
Hauser was born in Buffalo, New York, on May 20, 1943, to Albert Clement (a police officer) and Ann John Michalakes.
In the book, Hauser problematizes the notion of a single idealized public sphere populated by rational, disinterested individuals discussing common issues.
"[6] According to Hauser, a public is “the interdependent members of society who hold different opinions about a mutual problem and who seek to influence its resolution through discourse”.
[7] A public sphere is “a discursive space in which individuals and groups associate to discuss matters of mutual interest and, where possible, to reach a common judgment about them.
These vernacular conversations are then linked, by shared concerns and subjects, to strangers in a lattice that are extrapolated to larger webs.
Vernacular publics are not things but a process that takes a variety of forms based on time and place.
Where Habermas idealized the salon and tearoom, Hauser privileges street corners, bars, and bowling alleys.