José Guilherme Merquior
Encyclopedia
José Guilherme Merquior (Rio de Janeiro
, April 22, 1941 — Rio de Janeiro, January 7, 1991) was a Brazil
ian diplomat, academic, writer, literary critic and philosopher.
(the Brazilian Academy of Letters). He had a doctorate in sociology from the London School of Economics
, which was directed by Ernest Gellner
. Merquior also studied under Lévi-Strauss (whose ideas Merquior would largely repudiate in From Prague to Paris), and took guidance from the likes of Raymond Aron
, Harry Levin
, and Arnaldo Momigliano
. He published books written directly in French, English, Italian, and his native Portuguese.
Merquior divided his published works in two segments. In one the bulk was criticism per se; in the other the emphasis was the history of ideas
, or more specific investigations like the highly-esteemed study of Rousseau and Weber
. Two of Merquior's books, a history of Western Marxism
and an often scathing critique of Michel Foucault
for the Fontana Modern Masters
series, were described as "minor classics" by scholar Gregory R. Johnson. Merquor's Foucault was also an important reference for Camille Paglia
's lengthy essay "Junk Bonds and Corporate Raiders: Academe in the Hour of the Wolf," wherein Paglia describes what she sees as serious problems in the academic humanities.
Merquior was a major supporter of the Fernando Collor de Mello government
and wrote many of Collor's public speeches.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, April 22, 1941 — Rio de Janeiro, January 7, 1991) was a Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian diplomat, academic, writer, literary critic and philosopher.
Biography
He was a prolific writer, and member of the Academia Brasileira de LetrasAcademia Brasileira de Letras
Academia Brasileira de Letras is a Brazilian literary non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century by a group of 40 writers and poets inspired by the Académie Française. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on December 15, 1896, with the statutes being...
(the Brazilian Academy of Letters). He had a doctorate in sociology from the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, which was directed by Ernest Gellner
Ernest Gellner
Ernest André Gellner was a philosopher and social anthropologist, described by The Daily Telegraph when he died as one of the world's most vigorous intellectuals and by The Independent as a "one-man crusade for critical rationalism."His first book, Words and Things —famously, and uniquely...
. Merquior also studied under Lévi-Strauss (whose ideas Merquior would largely repudiate in From Prague to Paris), and took guidance from the likes of Raymond Aron
Raymond Aron
Raymond-Claude-Ferdinand Aron was a French philosopher, sociologist, journalist and political scientist.He is best known for his 1955 book The Opium of the Intellectuals, the title of which inverts Karl Marx's claim that religion was the opium of the people -- in contrast, Aron argued that in...
, Harry Levin
Harry Levin
Harry Tuchman Levin was an American literary critic and scholar of modernism and comparative literature.-Biography:...
, and Arnaldo Momigliano
Arnaldo Momigliano
Arnaldo Dante Momigliano KBE was an Italian historian known for his work in historiography, characterized by Donald Kagan as the "world’s leading student of the writing of history in the ancient world." He became Professor of Roman history at the University of Turin in 1936, but as a Jew soon lost...
. He published books written directly in French, English, Italian, and his native Portuguese.
Merquior divided his published works in two segments. In one the bulk was criticism per se; in the other the emphasis was the history of ideas
History of ideas
The history of ideas is a field of research in history that deals with the expression, preservation, and change of human ideas over time. The history of ideas is a sister-discipline to, or a particular approach within, intellectual history...
, or more specific investigations like the highly-esteemed study of Rousseau and Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
. Two of Merquior's books, a history of Western Marxism
Western Marxism
Western Marxism is a term used to describe a wide variety of Marxist theoreticians based in Western and Central Europe, in contrast with philosophy in the Soviet Union...
and an often scathing critique of Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
for the Fontana Modern Masters
Fontana Modern Masters
The Fontana Modern Masters was a series of pocket guides on the writers, philosophers, and other thinkers and theorists whose ideas were shaping the intellectual landscape of the twentieth century. The first five titles were published on 12 January 1970 by Fontana Books, the paperback imprint of...
series, were described as "minor classics" by scholar Gregory R. Johnson. Merquor's Foucault was also an important reference for Camille Paglia
Camille Paglia
Camille Anna Paglia , is an American author, teacher, and social critic. Paglia, a self-described dissident feminist, has been a Professor at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1984...
's lengthy essay "Junk Bonds and Corporate Raiders: Academe in the Hour of the Wolf," wherein Paglia describes what she sees as serious problems in the academic humanities.
Merquior was a major supporter of the Fernando Collor de Mello government
Fernando Collor de Mello
Fernando Affonso Collor de Mello was the 32nd president of Brazil from 1990 to 1992, when he resigned in a failed attempt to stop his trial of impeachment by the Brazilian Senate...
and wrote many of Collor's public speeches.
Books by Merquior
- Published in Portuguese
- 1963: Poesia do Brasil, (antologia com Manuel BandeiraManuel BandeiraManuel Carneiro de Sousa Bandeira Filho was a poet, literary critic, and translator.Bandeira wrote over 20 books of poetry and prose. In 1904, he found out that he suffered from tuberculosis, which encouraged him to move from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, because of Rio's tropical beach weather...
) - 1965: Razão do Poema
- 1969: Arte e Sociedade em Marcuse, Adorno e Benjamin
- 1972: A astúcia da mímese
- 1972: Saudades do Carnaval
- 1974: Formalismo e tradição moderna
- 1975: O estruturalismo dos pobres e outras questões
- 1975: A estética de Lévi-StraussClaude Lévi-StraussClaude Lévi-Strauss was a French anthropologist and ethnologist, and has been called, along with James George Frazer, the "father of modern anthropology"....
- 1976: Verso e universo de DrummondCarlos Drummond de AndradeCarlos Drummond de Andrade was perhaps the most influential Brazilian poet of the 20th century. He has become something of a national poet; his poem "Canção Amiga" was printed on the 50 cruzados note...
- 1977: De Anchieta a Euclides
- 1980: O fantasma romântico e outros ensaios
- 1981: As idéias e as formas
- 1982: A natureza do processo
- 1983: O argumento liberal
- 1983: O elixir do Apocalipse
- 1985: Michel FoucaultMichel FoucaultMichel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
ou O niilismo da cátedra - 1987: O marxismo ocidental
- 1990: Crítica
- 1990: RousseauJean-Jacques RousseauJean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
e WeberMax WeberKarl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
: dois estudos sobre a teoria da legitimidade - 1991: De Praga a Paris: uma crítica do estruturalismo e do pensamento pós-estruturalista
- 1991: O liberalismo, antigo e moderno
- 1997: O véu e a máscara
- 1963: Poesia do Brasil, (antologia com Manuel Bandeira
- Published in English
- 1979: The veil and the mask: Essays on culture and ideology
- 1980: Rousseau and Weber: Two studies in the theory of legitimacy
- 1985: Foucault (Fontana Modern MastersFontana Modern MastersThe Fontana Modern Masters was a series of pocket guides on the writers, philosophers, and other thinkers and theorists whose ideas were shaping the intellectual landscape of the twentieth century. The first five titles were published on 12 January 1970 by Fontana Books, the paperback imprint of...
) - 1987: From Prague to Paris: A Critique of Structuralist and Post-Structuralist Thought
- 1991: Western Marxism
- 1991: Liberalism, Old and New
- 1991: Foucault
- Published in French
- 1986: Foucault ou le nihilisme de la chaire
- Published in Spanish
- 1996 Liberalismo Viejo y Nuevo
- 2005 El Comportamiento de Las Musas
- In memoriam
- 1996 Liberalism in Modern Times - Essays in Honour of José G. Merquior. Edited by Ernest GellnerErnest GellnerErnest André Gellner was a philosopher and social anthropologist, described by The Daily Telegraph when he died as one of the world's most vigorous intellectuals and by The Independent as a "one-man crusade for critical rationalism."His first book, Words and Things —famously, and uniquely...
and César Cansino
- 1996 Liberalism in Modern Times - Essays in Honour of José G. Merquior. Edited by Ernest Gellner