Organic Intellectuals in the Dark Ages?
Janet L. Nelson
This paper, which originated as the Raphael Samuel Memorial Lecture for 2005, casts an organic intellectual, not conforming too closely to what's usually considered Gramscian prototype of ‘spokesman dominant class’ – was never that, but, rather, a free spirit but meeting Gramsci's criteria ‘connecting bottom and top’ ‘continually feeling demands cultural contact with “simple”’. The paper then takes its cue from intimations such intellectuals in certain figures medieval Church. Here, four earlier are offered similarly representative: Gregory I (+ 604), Alcuin 804), Dhuoda ?843), Burchard 1025). Gregory's notion condescensio, ‘going down be with’, is extended by analogy later three. Each turn reconsidered intellectual who sought made connections wider public, just clerical lay, ways that aimed at social good.
History workshop journal