Public intellectuals: 'La lutte continue?'

Abstract

This article outlines three versions of the intellectual: past, present and future. First, it describes an archetypal 'Parisian' myth; next, the dissolute present or 'public intellectual'; finally, a future vision based on the new concept of 'knowledge clubs'. The article traces how 'the intellectual' has changed over time, and considers the consequences of hanging on to the past, especially by adding the word 'public' to 'intellectual'. While retaining the appearance of a character long dead, this phantasm may blind contemporary analysis as to the direction in which to look for 'public thought' in the future. The article argues that the concept needs to be rethought according the approach of 'cultural science', where knowledge-agency belongs to culture-made groups rather than individuals.