Pierre Bourdieu's views on the question of knowledge and intellectualism

Among the intellectual figures of France in the 20th century, Pierre Bourdieu has left the greatest influence on sociological studies. In this respect he may only be compared with Levi Strauss, except for the fact that Strauss’ influence outside France has been much less and that the foundations of Strauss’ thought; that is, the structural theory of social science, has long lost its power while most sociologists believe that Bourdieu’s views are there to stay, already influencing scholars from such diverse disciplines as literary criticism, art, sports sciences, etc. He was so prolific, writing over 30 books and 400 articles; it takes years before a complete understanding of his views is achieved and his views be applied in social sciences and humanities. Perhaps he is best compared with two other imminent sociologist of the 20th century; that is, Emil Durkheim and Max Weber, who left long-lasting influence on sociological thinking. In this paper, the writer first presents s definition of intellectualism. This is followed by a brief introduction of Bourdieu's thoughts and an analysis of his relation as a social scientist with the intellectual circle in France.