El intelectual en la ciudad: un análisis comparativo de la «intelligentsia» rusa y los intelectuales franceses

Abstract

The concept «intellectual» is largely used and is one of those that, behind the apparent facility of use, hide the complexity of the socio-political reality that it describes. It significance can vary substantially from one culture to another and from one period to another within the same culture. This article proposes a comparative study of the concept «intellectual» in French and Russian contexts. It relates the history of the appearance of the terms «intellectuel» in France and «intelligentsia» in Russia ; the historical conditions of the appearance and recognition of intellectuals in France and in Russia; describes the morphology of French «intellectuels» and Russian «intelligentsia» and the social and political role played by them in France and in Russia. It demonstrates the similarities and differences between French «intellectuels» and Russian «intelligentsia». It also shows the imprint of the Russian concept «intelligentsia» by French intellectuals, and French concept «intellectual» by Russian intelligentsia for the domestic needs, imprints facilitated by the frequent contacts between two cultures.