Pierre Nora
Encyclopedia
Pierre Nora is a French historian of Jewish descent. Elected to the French Academy on June 7, 2001, he is known for his work on French identity and memory. His name is associated with the study of new history
. He is the brother of Simon Nora, French financier.
at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand
but — contrary to a persistent legend — he was not accepted at the École Normale Supérieure
. Thereafter he obtained a bachelier ès lettres (equivalent to the Bachelor of Arts
) degree in philosophy
. Accepted to the Agrégation d'histoire (a French recruitment contest for teachers at secondary school
s) in 1958, he was a teacher at the Lycée Lamoricière d'Oran
in Algeria
until 1960. He wrote an essay
about it, published under the title Les Français d'Algérie (The French of Algeria) (1961).
From 1961 to 1963 he was a resident at the Thiers Foundation. From 1965 to 1977 he was first assistant and then lecturer at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris
(Paris Institute of Political Science). Since 1977 he has been the director of studies at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales
(School of higher studies in social sciences).
. His joined Éditions Julliard
in 1964, where he created the Archives paperback collection. In 1965 he joined Éditions Gallimard
: the publishing house, which already had a good marketshare in literature, wanted to develop its social sciences
sector. It was Pierre Nora who achieved this mission by creating two important collections, the Library of social sciences in 1966 and the Library of histories in 1970, as well as the Témoins collection in 1967.
At Éditions Gallimard Nora published in these collections that he was directing, important works which generally constitute indispensable references in their fields of research, in particular:
This important role gave to Nora a certain power in French publishing and he was also the object of criticism. To begin, he refused in 1997 to translate Eric Hobsbawm
's work, The Age of Extremes (1994), because of that author's "attachment to the revolutionary cause". Nora explained that context of hostility towards Communism
in France was not appropriate to that type of publication, that all the editors, "like it or not, had an obligation to take account of the intellectual and ideological situation in which they had written their works".
; this quickly became one of the major French intellectual reviews. He had participated at the Saint-Simon Foundation, created in 1982 by François Furet
and Pierre Rosanvallon
and dissolved in 1999.
He opposed himself to the law of 23 February 2005 "supporting national recognition and national taxation in favour of French repatiations" and cosigned a petition in the daily Libération
entitled "Liberté pour l'histoire". This law, at line 2 of article 4 has been abrogated on 15 February 2006, establishing that research programmes must be accorded more importance in lieu of French overseas presence and that the programmes of study came to recognize the positive role.
Nora is equally well known for having directed Les Lieux de Mémoire, three volumes which gave as their point the work of enumerating the places and the objects in which are the incarnate national memory of the French.
New history
For New history see:* James Harvey Robinson for "new history" in early 20th century American historiography* Nouvelle histoire for "new history" in late 20th century French historiography* New Mormon history for Mormon history in a historical context...
. He is the brother of Simon Nora, French financier.
Career
Pierre Nora occupies a particular position that he himself qualifies as on "the side" of the French historical sphere.Education
In the 1950s he took hypokhâgne and khâgneKhâgne
The literary and humanities CPGE constitutes a type classe prépa, the two-year cycle of classes taken after the baccalauréat...
at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
The Lycée Louis-le-Grand is a public secondary school located in Paris, widely regarded as one of the most rigorous in France. Formerly known as the Collège de Clermont, it was named in king Louis XIV of France's honor after he visited the school and offered his patronage.It offers both a...
but — contrary to a persistent legend — he was not accepted at the École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
. Thereafter he obtained a bachelier ès lettres (equivalent to the Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
) degree in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. Accepted to the Agrégation d'histoire (a French recruitment contest for teachers at secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s) in 1958, he was a teacher at the Lycée Lamoricière d'Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
until 1960. He wrote an essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
about it, published under the title Les Français d'Algérie (The French of Algeria) (1961).
From 1961 to 1963 he was a resident at the Thiers Foundation. From 1965 to 1977 he was first assistant and then lecturer at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris
The Institut d'études politiques de Paris , simply referred to as Sciences Po , is a public research and higher education institution in Paris, France, specialised in the social sciences. It has the status of grand établissement, which allows its admissions process to be highly selective...
(Paris Institute of Political Science). Since 1977 he has been the director of studies at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales
École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales
The École des hautes études en sciences sociales is a leading French institution for research and higher education, a Grand Établissement. Its mission is research and research training in the social sciences, including the relationship these latter maintain with the natural and life sciences...
(School of higher studies in social sciences).
Publishing
Concurrently, Nora had managed an important career in publishingPublishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. His joined Éditions Julliard
Éditions Julliard
Éditions Julliard is a French publishing house. It was founded in 1942 by René Julliard.René Julliard was known as a discoverer and publisher of talents, in particular Françoise Sagan and Jean d'Ormesson. After Julliard's death in July 1962, the managing director, Christian Bourgois, took over the...
in 1964, where he created the Archives paperback collection. In 1965 he joined Éditions Gallimard
Éditions Gallimard
Éditions Gallimard is one of the leading French publishers of books. The Guardian has described it as having "the best backlist in the world". In 2003 it and its subsidiaries published 1418 titles....
: the publishing house, which already had a good marketshare in literature, wanted to develop its social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
sector. It was Pierre Nora who achieved this mission by creating two important collections, the Library of social sciences in 1966 and the Library of histories in 1970, as well as the Témoins collection in 1967.
At Éditions Gallimard Nora published in these collections that he was directing, important works which generally constitute indispensable references in their fields of research, in particular:
- In the Library of social sciences, Raymond AronRaymond AronRaymond-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...
(Les Étapes de la pensée sociologique, 1967), Georges DumézilGeorges DumézilGeorges Dumézil was a French comparative philologist best known for his analysis of sovereignty and power in Proto-Indo-European religion and society...
(Mythe et épopée, 1968–1973), Marcel GauchetMarcel GauchetMarcel Gauchet is a French historian, philosopher and sociologist.Gauchet is professor at the Centre de recherches politiques Raymond Aron at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris and head of the periodical Le Débat .Gauchet is one of France's most prominent contemporary...
(Le Désenchantement du monde, 1985), Claude LefortClaude LefortClaude Lefort was a French philosopher and activist.He was politically active by 1942 under the influence of his tutor, the phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty...
(Les Formes de l'histoire, 1978), Henri Mendras (La Seconde Révolution française, 1988), Michel FoucaultMichel FoucaultMichel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
(Les Mots et les Choses, 1966, and L'Archéologie du savoir, 1969). - In the Library of histories, François FuretFrançois Furet-Biography:Born in Paris on 27 March 1927, into a wealthy family, François Furet was a brilliant student who graduated from the Sorbonne with the highest honors and soon decided on a life of research, teaching and writing. He received his education at the Lycée Janson de Sailly and at the faculty...
(Penser la Révolution française, 1978), Emmanuel Le Roy LadurieEmmanuel Le Roy LadurieEmmanuel Le Roy Ladurie is a French historian whose work is mainly focused upon Languedoc in the ancien regime, particularly the history of the peasantry.-Early life and career:...
(Montaillou, 1975, best sale of the collection with 145 000 copies), Michel de CerteauMichel de CerteauMichel de Certeau was a French Jesuit and scholar whose work combined history, psychoanalysis, philosophy, and the social sciences.-Education:...
(L'Écriture de l'histoire, 1975), Georges DubyGeorges DubyGeorges Duby was a French historian specializing in the social and economic history of the Middle Ages...
(Le Temps des cathédrales, 1976), Jacques Le GoffJacques Le GoffJacques Le Goff is a prolific French historian specializing in the Middle Ages, particularly the 12th and 13th centuries....
(Saint Louis, 1997), Jean-Pierre VernantJean-Pierre VernantJean-Pierre Vernant was a French historian and anthropologist, specialist in ancient Greece. Influenced by Claude Lévi-Strauss, Vernant developed a structuralist approach to Greek myth, tragedy, and society which would itself be influential among classical scholars...
(L'Individu, la mort, l'amour, 1989), Maurice Agulhon (Histoire vagabonde, 1988–1996), Michel FoucaultMichel FoucaultMichel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
(Histoire de la folie à l'âge classique, 1972, Surveiller et punir, 1975, and Histoire de la sexualité, 1976–1984). - Foreign researchers whom he introduced in France, like Ernst KantorowiczErnst KantorowiczErnst Hartwig Kantorowicz was a German-Jewish historian of medieval political and intellectual history, known for his 1927 book Kaiser Friedrich der Zweite on Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, and in particular The King's Two Bodies .Kantorowicz was born in Posen to a wealthy, assimilated...
(Les Deux Corps du roi, 1959, published in 1989), Thomas NipperdeyThomas NipperdeyThomas Nipperdey was a German historian best known for his monumental and exhaustive studies of Germany from 1800 to 1918. As a close albeit critical follower of Leopold von Ranke's famous ideal of writing "history exactly as it happened," Nipperdey sought comprehensive coverage of every major...
(Réflexions sur l'histoire allemande, 1983–1992, in 1992), Karl PolanyiKarl PolanyiKarl Paul Polanyi was a Hungarian philosopher, political economist and economic anthropologist known for his opposition to traditional economic thought and his book The Great Transformation...
(La Grande Transformation, 1944, in 1983).
This important role gave to Nora a certain power in French publishing and he was also the object of criticism. To begin, he refused in 1997 to translate Eric Hobsbawm
Eric Hobsbawm
Eric John Ernest Hobsbawm , CH, FBA, is a British Marxist historian, public intellectual, and author...
's work, The Age of Extremes (1994), because of that author's "attachment to the revolutionary cause". Nora explained that context of hostility towards Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in France was not appropriate to that type of publication, that all the editors, "like it or not, had an obligation to take account of the intellectual and ideological situation in which they had written their works".
Intellectual life
In May 1980, Nora founded at Gallimard the review Le Débat with philosopher Marcel GauchetMarcel Gauchet
Marcel Gauchet is a French historian, philosopher and sociologist.Gauchet is professor at the Centre de recherches politiques Raymond Aron at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris and head of the periodical Le Débat .Gauchet is one of France's most prominent contemporary...
; this quickly became one of the major French intellectual reviews. He had participated at the Saint-Simon Foundation, created in 1982 by François Furet
François Furet
-Biography:Born in Paris on 27 March 1927, into a wealthy family, François Furet was a brilliant student who graduated from the Sorbonne with the highest honors and soon decided on a life of research, teaching and writing. He received his education at the Lycée Janson de Sailly and at the faculty...
and Pierre Rosanvallon
Pierre Rosanvallon
Pierre Rosanvallon is a French intellectual and historian, named professor at the Collège de France in 2001. He holds there the chair in the modern and contemporary history of the political. His works are dedicated to the history of democracy, French political history, the role of the state and...
and dissolved in 1999.
He opposed himself to the law of 23 February 2005 "supporting national recognition and national taxation in favour of French repatiations" and cosigned a petition in the daily Libération
Libération
Libération is a French daily newspaper founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Originally a leftist newspaper, it has undergone a number of shifts during the 1980s and 1990s...
entitled "Liberté pour l'histoire". This law, at line 2 of article 4 has been abrogated on 15 February 2006, establishing that research programmes must be accorded more importance in lieu of French overseas presence and that the programmes of study came to recognize the positive role.
Nora is equally well known for having directed Les Lieux de Mémoire, three volumes which gave as their point the work of enumerating the places and the objects in which are the incarnate national memory of the French.