From: "Reza" <nreza-AT-nreza.demon.co.uk> Subject: Re: "Le cas Bourdieu" - Elements on the current controversy on PB Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 00:01:20 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. Salut Olivier, I have several remarks on current controversy about Bourdieu: 1) Why his social/political stance has got such importance? I do not think that the the controvery, debate and attacks are only du to the importance of the professor Bourdieu. The content and target of his interventions arrives at a moment in the history where the need for a new 'critical analysis' of the world is more and more felt and looked for. The 'statut quo' does not satisfy people. The 'all liberal' assault has created such a undefendable, unjust situation that it's difficult to just describe the situation without any action to change it. I think this historical context of post-comunism, and the deep mass deception creates the favourable ground for this kind of idea. An idea, or a personality, however strong they might, if they're not in line with the historical movement of the society couldn't create a deep effect. 2) A key to understand why a group of french journalists and intellectuals are so tough with PB is indirectly described in another excelent french book: "Les nouveux chiens de guarde" of Sergre Halimi. Another surprise best seller written by a journalist about the structural links between the media and the 'power', full of examples (mainly taken from french media). The timing for arrival of book on the market couldn't be better: just after the Bourdieu's work on 'TV'. If I were an editor I would print them together. How else could these "nouveux chiens de guarde" could react to such anlysis? I would be surprised if they accepted overnight that they work directly or indirectly in favour of the "order". 3) This is not just a coincidence that at the same time, the same "lines", "voices" and appeals for "resistance" is lauched and initiated every where in France. PB is not alone in this move, although he's the main reference in this "resistance" (word used by him). The last 2 or 3 years, specially after the social movements of Decemeber 95 in France, a deep change in the behaviour of the intelectuals has produced. An important role has been played by "Le Monde Diplomatique" led by genius "Ignacio Ramonet" and his mates (Halimi, Dassen, ...). The same tendency can be seen in associative movements. I suggest you to visit the 'Le Monde Diplomatique' Web Site (French/English) and go to the entry under "Liberalism". There're among others some of the Bourdieu's papers. The initiative to create Attac association (on Tobin Tax) was made by Ramonet in an editorial and followed immediately by a large support wave. (next week I send an email with some of these papers attached to it) 4) Why in France? I don't know why, but the evidence is that in terms of "a global resistance" against the "global liberal assault" France is playing an impotant role. Bourdieu in his last papers, calls for an "international" and "european resistance". Reza -----Original Message----- From: Olivier Meriaux <Olivier.Meriaux-AT-iep.upmf-grenoble.fr> To: bourdieu-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu <bourdieu-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu> Date: Tuesday, September 01, 1998 12:08 PM Subject: "Le cas Bourdieu" - Elements on the current controversy on PB Dear friends and colleagues, as you may know, Pierre Bourdieu is currently at the center of a huge controversy in France, concerning his intellectual hegemony and his radical criticism of politics. Those who read French (and I am sure it concerns many of you) will find interesting elements in Liberation (08/27/1998) and in Le Monde (08/28/1998), including reviews of PB last book. It seems that the very controversial (and unfair) essay of Jeannine Verd=E8=B3=ADLeroux, "Le savant et la politique, Essai sur le terrorisme sociologique de Pierre Bourdieu" (Grasset), will be the hype of this autumn on the rive gauche. Greetings from France.
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Dear friends and colleagues,-----Original Message-----
From: Olivier Meriaux <Olivier.Meriaux-AT-iep.upmf-grenoble.fr>
To: bourdieu-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu <bourdieu-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Date: Tuesday, September 01, 1998 12:08 PM
Subject: "Le cas Bourdieu" - Elements on the current controversy on PB