The intellectual engagé of the social movements

Résumé

By taking into account the social, historic, political and cultural continuities and discontinuities,aswell as the permanent metamorphosis of the public sphere, this articleaims at a comparative analysis of the multidimensional impact of the intellectual critiqueof the 60’s and 70’s and that of the first decade of the 2000’s. This article therefore aspiresat understanding if some of the nuances of the intellectuals’ engagement of the60’s and 70’s social movements still persist today as regards the role of the contemporaryintellectual when facing the emerging cultural, social, political and economic crisis,which — although caused by different publics, interests and contexts — tend tohave some characteristics and contours in common. Thiswork aims at understanding(1) if intellectuals have reclaimed their voice, so far silent, in the public sphere, (2) ifthey have been contributing with social, cultural and political alternatives and even (3)if they have been fostering communication forums with the objective of instigating alternativesto the alternative imposed by the system.