Quel individu et pour quel État?

Sociology and history intersect in the intellectual trajectory and research of Pierre Birnbaum, Professor Emeritus at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. He has studied power and ideologies in contemporary France and the United States and is particularly renowned for his contributions on the relationship between the State and politico-administrative elites. He has also taken a comparative interest in the relationships between types of State and Jewish history. While the connection between sociology and history characterizes the work of many French sociologists, Pierre Birnbaum’s academic background and experiences include moments that make him an exemplary case of interdisciplinarity for analyzing what idea of the State, and what relationship between State and individual, emerges from key moments in French history—from the French Revolution to the Third Republic, from the Dreyfus Affair to Vichy. In this dialogue, Pierre Birnbaum discusses with Manuela Albertone his personal and intellectual experiences and his interdisciplinary approach. English title: Which Individual for which State? A Dialogue Between Political Sociology and History Keywords: Political Sociology, Interdisciplinary History, Jewish History, French Revolution, Administrative Elites, Types of State