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Alain Finkielkraut

Alain Finkielkraut is a French essayist and public intellectual, host of "Répliques," known for his critical views on modernity and controversial influence on French thought.

1. Life and Background

Alain Finkielkraut's personal history, deeply rooted in the experiences of his Polish Jewish parents, profoundly shaped his worldview and intellectual pursuits.

1.1. Early Life and Family

Alain Luc Finkielkraut was born on 30 June 1949, to Polish Jewish refugee parents. His father, Daniel Finkielkraut, was a fine leather goods manufacturer in Poland who fled antisemitic persecution in the 1930s to seek refuge in France. During World War II, Daniel was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp and survived. His mother, Laura, was born in Lviv, which was then part of Poland. Her family was sent to extermination camps under Nazi Germany's occupation, but Laura managed to escape to Germany and later moved to Antwerp, Belgium, using forged identity papers, where she remained until the end of the war. She continued to use the name "Janka" from her forged papers throughout her life.

Daniel and Janka met in Paris after its liberation. Both of their families had perished in concentration camps or ghettos. When their only son, Alain, was born in 1949, they chose the French names Alain Luc, rather than the traditional Jewish names Aaron and Lazare (after his grandfathers), fearing that Jewish names might lead to discrimination. The initials A.L. were retained from the traditional names. In 1950, Daniel, Janka, and Alain became naturalized French citizens.

1.2. Education

Finkielkraut's academic journey began after graduating from Lycée Henri-IV. In 1968, he failed the entrance exam for the École normale supérieure on Rue d'Ulm in Paris, but he successfully entered the École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud the following year, in 1969. By 1972, he had earned his agrégation (a competitive examination for teaching qualification) in modern literature and a master's degree in philosophy. His early teaching career included positions at the technical high school in Beauvais in 1974 and as an assistant professor in the Department of French Literature at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1976 to 1978. In 1989, he joined the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the École Polytechnique as a professor, where he taught intellectual history until 2014.

2. Career

Alain Finkielkraut's professional life has been multifaceted, encompassing significant roles in academia, media, and public intellectual discourse, culminating in his induction into the prestigious Académie Française.

2.1. Academic Career

Finkielkraut's academic career saw him contribute to various esteemed institutions. After his early teaching roles, he became a professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the École Polytechnique in 1989, a position he held until 2014. There, he focused on teaching intellectual history. In 2000, he co-founded the Institute on Levinassian Studies in Jerusalem with Benny Lévy and Bernard-Henri Lévy, reflecting his deep engagement with the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas.

2.2. Media and Public Intellectual Work

A significant part of Finkielkraut's public intellectual work has been his long-standing role as the host of Répliques (Rebuttals), a weekly talk show broadcast on France Culture, a public radio station specializing in culture. He began hosting the program in 1985, and it has continued for over three decades, providing a platform for in-depth discussions with guests on a wide range of cultural, social, and political issues. Through this program and his numerous essays and books, Finkielkraut has consistently engaged with contemporary societal challenges, establishing himself as a prominent and often provocative commentator in French public discourse.

2.3. Membership in the Académie Française

In recognition of his substantial contributions to French culture and thought, Alain Finkielkraut was elected a member of the Académie Française on 10 April 2014. He took Seat 21, succeeding the novelist and playwright Félicien Marceau. Membership in the Académie Française, composed of forty "Immortals," is one of the highest honors in French intellectual and literary circles, signifying a profound impact on the nation's language and cultural heritage.

3. Thought and Works

Alain Finkielkraut's intellectual output is characterized by a deep engagement with philosophical traditions and a critical examination of modern society, often focusing on themes of memory, identity, and the challenges to humanistic values.

3.1. Intellectual Influences

Finkielkraut's thinking has been significantly shaped by various philosophical and intellectual traditions. He feels a particular debt to the Lithuanian-French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, whose work on ethics, the "Other," and the nature of responsibility has profoundly influenced Finkielkraut's own reflections on modernity and its perceived failures. This intellectual debt is explicitly discussed in his work, The Wisdom of Love (La Sagesse de l'amour).

3.2. Major Works and Themes

Finkielkraut's published works span several decades and address a consistent set of themes, reflecting his evolving critiques of contemporary society.

3.2.1. Early Writings and Collaborations

Finkielkraut first gained public attention through his collaborations with Pascal Bruckner in the late 1970s. Their short but controversial essays questioned the prevailing notion of a new era of emancipation emerging from the post-1968 social and cultural trends. These works, including The New Love Disorder (Le Nouveau Désordre amoureux, 1977), At the Corner of the Street (Au Coin de la rue, l'aventure, 1979), and The Adventure (L'aventure, 1979), critiqued the so-called "sexual revolution" and its impact on concepts of love and societal norms, arguing against what they saw as a naive optimism about social change.

3.2.2. Memory, Jewish Identity, and History

A central pillar of Finkielkraut's work is his reflection on memory, particularly in the context of the Holocaust and Jewish identity in Europe. In The Imaginary Jew (Le Juif imaginaire, 1983), he explored the complexities of post-Holocaust Jewish identity, examining how Jewishness is perceived and experienced in a world grappling with the aftermath of genocide. He sought to promote what he termed a "duty of memory" (Devoir de mémoireFrench). This commitment is evident in The Future of a Negation: Reflexion on the Genocide Issue (Avenir d'une négation : réflexion sur la question du génocide, 1982), which delves into the denial of historical facts. His later work, Remembering in Vain (La Mémoire vaine, 1989), further explores these themes through his commentary on the Klaus Barbie trial, emphasizing the importance of confronting historical crimes and their legacy.

3.2.3. Critique of Modernity and Contemporary Society

Finkielkraut has consistently offered philosophical critiques of modern thought and contemporary societal issues. In The Defeat of the Mind (La Défaite de la pensée, 1987), he argued that modern culture has undermined critical thinking and intellectual rigor. He continued this reflection in The Ingratitude: Talks About Our Times (Ingratitude : conversation sur notre temps, 1999). His works also address the impact of technology, as seen in The Internet, The Troubling Ecstasy (Internet, l'inquiétante extase, 2001), where he explored the anxieties and challenges posed by the digital age. In Present Imperfect (L'Imparfait du présent, 2002), a collection akin to a personal diary, he shared his thoughts on various global events, including the events of 11 September 2001.

4. Political and Social Engagement

Alain Finkielkraut has been an active and often controversial participant in French political and social debates, expressing strong opinions on a range of domestic and international issues.

4.1. Student Movements and Early Political Views

During his student years in the late 1960s, Finkielkraut was involved in the Union des jeunesses communistes marxistes-léninistes (UJCml), a Maoist student group, alongside figures like Benny Lévy. However, his political views soon diverged from some of his peers. Following the Yom Kippur War in 1973, when Egyptian and Syrian forces attacked the Israeli Defense Forces to reclaim occupied territories, Finkielkraut notably supported Israel, a stance that contrasted with the pro-Palestinian sentiments prevalent among some of his contemporaries. His early works, particularly collaborations with Pascal Bruckner, also critiqued the "sexual revolution" that emerged from the May 1968 student movements, challenging the idea that it represented a new form of emancipation.

4.2. Stances on International Affairs

Finkielkraut has consistently voiced his opinions on major international conflicts and geopolitical issues. During the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s, he, along with Bernard-Henri Lévy, advocated for military intervention by Western powers, opposing the stance of then-President François Mitterrand, who supported Serbia. After the dissolution of Yugoslavia, Finkielkraut authored How Can One Be Croatian? (Comment peut-on être Croate?, 1992), supporting Croatia's self-determination against Greater Serbian nationalism. He viewed "small nation-states" as synonymous with freedom. His close friendship with Croatian President Franjo Tuđman drew criticism, with some, like David Bruce MacDonald, accusing him of supporting a nation led by a Holocaust revisionist and an authoritarian government.

Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Finkielkraut is a Zionist. In 1983, he published The Reprobation of Israel (La Réprobation d'Israël), a response to criticisms against Israel's intervention in the Lebanese Civil War and the alleged responsibility of then-Defense Minister Ariel Sharon for the Sabra and Shatila massacre. In 2010, he was involved in founding JCall, a left-wing advocacy group in Europe that lobbies the European Parliament on foreign policy issues concerning the Middle East and Israel.

4.3. Views on French Society and Identity

Finkielkraut has been a vocal commentator on issues concerning French society, national identity, secularism (laïcité), immigration, and multiculturalism. His perspectives often spark debate, particularly regarding their impact on minorities and social equity.

In 1989, following an incident in Creil where two Muslim female students were prohibited from entering a classroom for wearing headscarves, Finkielkraut joined other intellectuals in publishing an article titled "The Islamic Veil" in L'Obs. They argued that public schools must remain places of liberation, fostering critical thought and encouraging students to transcend their communal origins, rather than being dominated by religious symbols.

During the 2005 French riots, Finkielkraut's comments stirred significant controversy. He described the riots as an "ethnic and religious revolt" and a "pogrom against the Republic," driven by hatred for French society's Judeo-Christian traditions. He also controversially linked the riots to what he perceived as a flawed education system that demonized colonialism and an anti-racist discourse that, in his view, fueled hatred towards Jews and French society. In an interview with Haaretz, he remarked that the France national football team, traditionally celebrated as "black, white, Arab" (black-blanc-beur), was now "black, black, black, which causes sneers all over Europe." He added that making such an observation in France could lead to imprisonment. He also claimed an "Islamization of the blacks" was occurring in both America and France. These remarks drew strong accusations of racism from organizations like MRAP and the newspaper L'Humanité, and led to a petition by colleagues at the École Polytechnique. While Finkielkraut later apologized, claiming his words were mistranslated by Haaretz, he reiterated similar views in the French domestic press. His critics, including Emmanuel Todd, argued that such characterizations of rioters by skin color would not be tolerated if not for the "sacralization of the Shoah" protecting intellectuals of Jewish origin.

Finkielkraut has also expressed concerns about the rise of antisemitism in France. In the early 2000s, he pointed to a "new antisemitism," particularly after the Second Intifada, arguing that it was linked to events in the Middle East and that "double standards" were being applied to it. He condemned figures like comedian Dieudonné for fostering an antisemitic "atmosphere." In 2018, he told The Times of Israel that the antisemitism in France was the worst he had ever seen and predicted it would worsen. In 2024, he labeled "wokeism" a "death cult," asserting it was driven by hatred for Israel and the West.

5. Controversies and Criticisms

Alain Finkielkraut's public career has been marked by numerous controversies, attracting significant criticism and accusations, particularly regarding his comments on social and political issues.

5.1. Specific Remarks and Incidents

In 1995, Finkielkraut publicly denounced the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or award to Emir Kusturica's film Underground. He stated in Le Monde that the jury had honored a "servile and flashy illustrator of criminal clichés" and praised "the most hackneyed and deceitful Serb propaganda," calling it a "grotesque epilogue to Western incompetence and frivolity." This criticism came shortly after the Tuzla massacre, where 71 young people were killed by Serbian shelling. Finkielkraut argued that the film's music and visuals served to justify the killers' logic. However, it was later revealed that he had not seen the film before writing his critique.

His interview in Haaretz in November 2005, where he discussed the 2005 French riots, ignited a major controversy. He claimed the riots were an "ethnic and religious revolt" and a "pogrom against the Republic." His controversial remark that the France national football team was "black, black, black, which causes sneers all over Europe"-a stark contrast to the "black-white-Arab" (black-blanc-beur) expression coined after France's 1998 World Cup win-drew widespread condemnation. He also alleged an "Islamization of the blacks" in both America and France. These comments led to accusations of racism from organizations like MRAP and the newspaper L'Humanité, and a petition against him by colleagues at the École Polytechnique. While Finkielkraut later apologized, attributing the controversial phrasing to a mistranslation by Haaretz, he continued to express similar views in the French press, maintaining that the riots were primarily by Black and Arab youth. Critics like Emmanuel Todd, argued that such racial characterizations would be unacceptable for anyone not protected by the "sacralization of the Shoah."

Finkielkraut also faced criticism for his comments on the Roman Polanski sexual abuse case in 2009. He controversially claimed that the 13-year-old victim was a "teenager," not a "child." In November 2019, during a TV program, he made further controversial statements while discussing "rape culture" and the Polanski affair. When challenged by a feminist activist, he provocatively stated, "Rape, rape, rape! I tell men, rape! I rape my wife every night." While he and his defenders argued this was irony and a critique of what he saw as an overbroad definition of "rape culture," the remarks were widely condemned as insulting to victims of marital rape and unacceptable. The Socialist Party's First Secretary, Olivier Faure, stated that such topics should not be subject to irony or laughter. In 2022, while appearing on the French TV channel La Chaîne Info, he commented on the Duhamel scandal involving incest committed by Olivier Duhamel on his 14-year-old stepson. Finkielkraut speculated that there may have been "consent" between the two parties and reiterated that a 14-year-old is "not the same thing" as a "child." Within days, he was summarily dismissed from the French TV news network where he worked as a commentator.

On 16 February 2019, Finkielkraut was accosted by a group of yellow vest protesters on Boulevard du Montparnasse in Paris. He was subjected to antisemitic insults, including being called a "dirty Zionist." A 36-year-old French convert to Islam was indicted after telling Finkielkraut he was "going to die." This incident drew widespread condemnation from across the French political spectrum, and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin expressed support for Finkielkraut and President Emmanuel Macron. Despite having previously expressed sympathy for the Yellow Vest movement, Finkielkraut stated in April 2019 that he had been repeatedly accosted and could "no longer show [his] face on the street." In April 2019, Sciences Po announced the cancellation of a forum where Finkielkraut was scheduled to speak, citing threats from "antifa" protesters. This cancellation was denounced as a symptom of the "Americanization" of French university life by Eugénie Bastié of Le Figaro. However, the announcement was a ruse to mislead protesters, and the lecture proceeded at a different, undisclosed location.

5.2. Accusations of Racism and Antisemitism

Beyond the specific incidents, Finkielkraut has faced broader accusations of racism and antisemitism. The controversies surrounding his comments on the 2005 French riots led to formal complaints and widespread public condemnation, with critics arguing that his remarks perpetuated harmful stereotypes and incited racial hatred. Filmmaker Eyal Sivan, an anti-Zionist, took legal action against Finkielkraut after the latter accused Sivan of being "Jewish anti-Semitism that rages today." Finkielkraut's close friendship with Croatian President Franjo Tuđman, a figure accused of Holocaust revisionism, also drew criticism, with David Bruce MacDonald stating that Finkielkraut supported "a nation whose leader was a Holocaust revisionist, at the helm of an authoritarian government."

5.3. Freedom of Speech and Historical Revisionism Debates

Finkielkraut has been a vocal participant in debates surrounding freedom of speech, particularly concerning Holocaust denial and historical revisionism. In 1998, he testified in the appeal trial of philosopher Roger Garaudy, who had been convicted for Holocaust denial. Finkielkraut argued that Garaudy's claims, which asserted the Holocaust was a "myth" exaggerated by "far-right Zionists," did not constitute freedom of expression. He contended that Garaudy was merely repeating "the logic once used to kill Jews" and that denying established facts was not a legitimate subject for debate, calling Garaudy's book "a magnificent gift to antisemitism."

5.4. Public Reactions and Consequences

Finkielkraut's controversial statements have often led to significant public reactions and consequences. His remarks on the 2005 riots resulted in accusations of racism, a petition by his colleagues, and a formal complaint by MRAP. His comments on the Polanski and Duhamel cases, particularly his dismissive attitude towards the age of victims, led to widespread outrage from feminist groups and, in the latter case, his dismissal from a French TV news network. The antisemitic insults he received from Yellow Vest protesters in 2019 sparked broad political condemnation and prompted him to express fear about appearing in public. These incidents highlight the intense scrutiny and strong reactions that his public statements often elicit, reflecting the deep divisions and sensitivities surrounding issues of identity, race, and history in French society.

6. Bibliography

  • Le Nouveau Désordre amoureux (The New Love Disorder, with Pascal Bruckner), Seuil, 1977
  • Au coin de la rue, l'aventure (At the Corner of the Street, the Adventure, with Pascal Bruckner), Seuil, 1979
  • Ralentir, mots-valises ! (Slow Down, Portmanteau Words!), Seuil, 1979
  • Petit fictionnaire illustré : les mots qui manquent au dico (Illustrated Fictionary: Words Missing from the Dictionary), Seuil, 1981
  • Le Juif imaginaire (The Imaginary Jew), Seuil, 1981
  • L'Avenir d'une négation, réflexion sur la question du genocide (The Future of a Negation: Reflexion on the Genocide Issue), Seuil, 1982
  • La Réprobation d'Israël (The Reprobation of Israel), Gonthier/Denoël, 1983
  • La Sagesse de l'amour (The Wisdom of Love), Gallimard, 1984
  • La Défaite de la pensée (The Defeat of the Mind), Gallimard, 1987
  • La Mémoire vaine. Du crime contre l'humanité (Vain Memory: On the Crime Against Humanity), Gallimard, 1989
  • Comment peut-on être Croate ? (How Can One Be Croatian?), Gallimard, 1992
  • Le Mécontemporain : Charles Péguy, lecteur du monde modern (The Uncontemporary: Charles Péguy, Reader of the Modern World), Gallimard, 1992
  • Le Crime d'être né : l'Europe, les nations, la guerre (The Crime of Being Born: Europe, Nations, War), Arléa, 1994
  • L'Humanité perdue (Humanity Lost), Seuil, 1996
  • L'Ingratitude : conversation sur notre temps (Ingratitude: Conversation on Our Time, with Antoine Robitaille), Gallimard, 1999
  • Une voix vient de l'autre rive (A Voice Comes from the Other Shore), Gallimard, 2000
  • Penser le xxe siècle (Thinking the 20th Century), École Polytechnique, 2000
  • Des hommes et des bêtes (Of Men and Beasts, with Élisabeth de Fontenay), Tricorne, 2000
  • Internet, l'inquiétante extase (The Internet, The Troubling Ecstasy, with Paul Soriano), Mille et une nuits, 2001
  • L'Imparfait du présent. Pièces brèves (The Imperfect Present: Short Pieces), Gallimard, 2002
  • Enseigner les lettres aujourd'hui (Teaching Literature Today, with Marc Bacconnet and Mireille Grange), Tricorne, 2003
  • Les Battements du monde (The Beatings of the World, with Peter Sloterdijk), Pauvert, 2003
  • Au nom de l'Autre : réflexions sur l'antisémitisme qui vient (In the Name of the Other: Reflections on the Coming Antisemitism), Gallimard, 2003
  • Nous autres, modernes : Quatre leçons (We Others, Moderns: Four Lessons), Ellipses, 2005
  • Ce que peut la littérature (What Literature Can Do), Stock, 2006
  • Le Livre et les livres : Entretiens sur la laïcité (The Book and Books: Interviews on Laïcité, with Benny Lévy), Verdier, 2006
  • La Discorde. Israël-Palestine, les Juifs, la France : conversations avec Elisabeth Levy (Discord: Israel-Palestine, Jews, France: Conversations with Elisabeth Levy, with Rony Brauman), Mille et une nuits, 2006
  • Qu'est-ce que la France (What is France), Stock, 2007
  • La Querelle de l'école (The School Dispute), Stock, 2007
  • Philosophie et modernité (Philosophy and Modernity), École Polytechnique, 2008
  • Un cœur intelligent (An Intelligent Heart), Stock/Flammarion, 2009
  • L'Explication, conversation avec Aude Lancelin (The Explanation, Conversation with Aude Lancelin, with Alain Badiou), Nouvelles Éditions Lignes, 2010
  • L'Interminable Écriture de l'Extermination (The Interminable Writing of Extermination), Stock, 2010
  • Et si l'amour durait (What If Love Lasted), Stock, 2011
  • L'Identité malheureuse (The Unhappy Identity), Stock, 2013
  • La Seule Exactitude (The Only Exactitude), Stock, 2015
  • En terrain miné (In Mined Territory, with Élisabeth de Fontenay), Stock, 2017
  • Des animaux et des hommes (Of Animals and Men), Stock, 2018
  • À la première personne (In the First Person), Gallimard, 2019
  • L'après littérature (The After Literature), Stock, 2021

7. Awards and Honors

Alain Finkielkraut has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, recognizing his significant contributions to French intellectual and cultural life.

  • 1984: European Charles Veillon Essay Prize
  • 1986: French Jewish Foundation Prize
  • 1994: Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
  • 1999: Prix Aujourd'hui (Today Prize), awarded for political, philosophical, and historical works contributing to the understanding of contemporary French society
  • 2007: Honorary Doctorate from Tel Aviv University
  • 2009: Officier of the Legion of Honour
  • 2010: Académie Française Essay Prize
  • 2013: Prix Chateaubriand
  • 2014: Académie Française membership (Seat 21)
  • 2014: Prix Combourg

8. Evaluation and Impact

Alain Finkielkraut's work and public persona have had a profound and often polarizing impact on French intellectual and public life, cementing his status as a central, albeit controversial, figure in contemporary discourse.

8.1. Intellectual and Social Influence

Finkielkraut's writings and public statements have significantly influenced French intellectual discourse, shaping political debates and societal attitudes. As a prominent public intellectual, he has consistently challenged prevailing orthodoxies, particularly those associated with postmodernism and certain strains of left-wing thought. His critiques of what he perceives as the "defeat of the mind" in modern culture, the challenges posed by mass consumption and technology, and the complexities of multiculturalism have resonated with some, while drawing strong opposition from others. He has played a key role in debates on French identity, secularism, and the integration of immigrant populations, often highlighting perceived threats to traditional French values and the legacy of the Holocaust. His long-running radio program, Répliques, has served as a crucial platform for intellectual exchange, bringing complex philosophical and social issues to a wide audience and fostering critical discussion.

8.2. Critical Reception and Legacy

Finkielkraut's work has elicited a wide range of critical responses. Supporters commend his intellectual rigor, his commitment to a "duty of memory," and his willingness to voice unpopular opinions against what he sees as intellectual complacency or political correctness. They view him as a defender of Enlightenment values and a necessary voice in confronting societal challenges.

However, his legacy is also marked by significant criticism, particularly from those on the left and from minority advocacy groups. His often provocative statements on immigration, French identity, and the 2005 riots have led to accusations of racism and xenophobia. His controversial remarks on sexual abuse cases and his perceived insensitivity to victims have further fueled public outrage, leading to professional consequences and widespread condemnation. Critics argue that his positions, while framed as intellectual critiques, often contribute to societal divisions and harm efforts towards social equity and inclusion. Despite these criticisms, Finkielkraut remains a highly influential figure, his work continuing to fuel ongoing debates about the nature of French identity, the challenges of contemporary society, and the role of the public intellectual in a complex and rapidly changing world. His contributions to philosophy and social commentary are undeniable, as is his role in consistently pushing the boundaries of public discourse, even if his methods and conclusions remain subjects of intense contention.