Estime et discipline sociale au prisme de la sociologie de Norbert Elias

Abstract

This text focuses on the way Norbert Elias’ sociology captures the links between esteem and social discipline. Elias emphasizes the pivotal role of social discipline in the development of modern and contemporary societies. He is thus engaged in a dialogue with Max Weber whose genealogy of modernity he attempts to qualify and enrich. His approach also intersects with Foucault’s work in many ways. Nevertheless Elias distinguishes himself by the way he grasps social esteem as a medium of social discipline. If such an analysis constitutes one of the most important inputs of Elias’ approach, it raises questions I attempt to highlight while putting in perspective Elias’ insights to the prism of Foucault’s work. My main goal is not to contrast Elias’ insights with Foucault’s ones in a drastic way but to underline the way they can be seen as complementary, each one highlighting the blind spots of the other.

Keywords

• discipline
• Norbert Elias
• social esteem
• Michel Foucault
• opinion