The sociology of intellectuals in the 20th and 21st century

Abstract

Sociologists have treated intellectuals and their ideas for a long time as mere products of external social structures. Recently, however, researchers shifted their focus to cultural explanations, appreciating more fully the role cultural structures play in shaping their biographical trajectories and success. At the same time, I argue that these theories do not fully integrate the insight of performance theories and focus usually on textual self‐presentation of intellectuals. Although such an approach is valuable, I propose that sociologists should pay attention also to the processes of meaning‐making that make up intellectual appeal on stage. In the second part of the paper, I argue that the sociology of intellectuals has been for too long obsessed with questions of success and prestige, and I propose that sociologists should shift their attention to the underappreciated and marginalised among intellectuals.

Displacement, women intellectuals and entangled knowledge in the making of global modernity

“…The literature on intellectuals has been revived by recent contributions that focus on 'public intellectuals' and the idea of commitment (Baert, 2015;Burawoy, 2021;Corcoran & Lalor, 2012;Sowell, 2010;Zelinsky ´, 2020). This perspective has offered important changes in the traditional way sociological thinking has regarded intellectuals.…”

“…Before the birth of the term ‘intellectual’, the words used to refer to such persons were ‘man of letters’ and ‘philosophers’ (Charle, 2015 [1990]). Intellectuals and scientists have been seen as relatively fixed subjects (Zelinský, 2020). However, this image does not correspond to these mobile subjects’ networks, their textual creations and cultural transfers.…”

“…Creativeness and freedom of the mind are products of intellectual dynamism and a state of flux (Mannheim, 2013 [1929], p. 139). Intellectuals are people who generate meaning and social networks (Collins, 2000; Zelinský 2020, p. 4) by creating connections. They do so through movement, which encompasses their performative interventions, as well as the products of their minds.…”

“…This perspective has offered important changes in the traditional way sociological thinking has regarded intellectuals. However, the focus on ‘success’ and ‘popularity’ as core to defining someone as an intellectual of significance, as Zelinský (2020) has put it, side-lines women whose spheres of action are mostly recognised in small and private circles. To overcome this problem, as noted in the introduction, the category of intellectual , I argue, applies to those who dedicate part of their life to the dissemination of their ideas related to their own interpretation about the world.…”

Polemik och pedagogik under strecket: Wilhelm Sjöstrand som skoldebattör och vetenskapskritiker

“…3 Dominik Želinský argumenterar för att forskningen om intellektuella personer har varit närmast besatt av särskilt framgångsrika individer och han föreslår i stället ett ökat fokus på de mindre uppskattade och marginaliserade intellektuella. 4 När det gäller fallet Sjöstrand är det inte helt självklart hur han ska kategoriseras. Han hade en mångårig karriär som en av få professorer i ämnet, skrev flera böcker och var massmedialt en av de mer synliga aktörerna i sin disciplin.…”