Public Intellectuals in Digital and Global Times: the Case of Project Syndicate

Abstract

In this article, we present a conceptual model for the study of intellectual trajectories. The notion of trajectory combines the figure of the intellectuals, as actors, and the stages on which they act. With the help of this model, we seek particularly to study the figure of the global digital public intellectual and the global digital stage on which this figure operates. By studying the case of Project Syndicate (the most important global platform or stage for the circulation of ideas through opinion columns), we show empirically that this stage has particularities that make it a circuit for such circulation. The notion of circuit seems to us more appropriate than field to describe this type of global stage at a transnational scale, still characterized by a lower level of institutionalization.

Wither or not the academic public intellectual across the spectrum of U.S. colleges and universities

“…This need for fast, quick response scholarship does not align with the incentives for tenure and promotion—creating two kinds of public intellectuals—“digital” intellectuals who use technology to further their reach and “analog” intellectuals who use more old school methods like speeches in their local community (Basaure et al., 2022). “Digital” public intellectuals may post their thoughts on Twitter, blogs, or online digital media sites such as The Conversation and Project Syndicate.…”