Robert Jaulin

Michel de Certeau (1925-1986) was a French Jesuit priest and influential scholar whose work spanned history, psychoanalysis, philosophy, and social sciences. He examined diverse subjects, from 16th-century travelogues to contemporary urban life, and was recognized as a philosopher of everyday life. De Certeau participated in significant intellectual currents like ressourcement theology and Lacanian psychoanalysis.

His academic journey included studies in classics and philosophy before entering the Jesuit order. He later earned a doctorate from the Sorbonne. De Certeau's career involved extensive research into historical and religious phenomena, including the Loudun possessions and the transition of Christianity from orality to written practices. He was also deeply engaged with psychoanalysis, becoming a founding member of Jacques Lacan's École Freudienne de Paris. His insights into the May 1968 events brought him public recognition, leading to professorships at various universities in France and the United States.

De Certeau's scholarship was characterized by its interdisciplinary nature, integrating fields such as hermeneutics, semiotics, ethnology, and religion. He is particularly noted for his analysis of "the practice of everyday life," exploring how individuals navigate daily existence through unselfconscious, repetitive actions. A key distinction he drew was between "strategies," employed by institutions and power structures, and "tactics," used by individuals as a form of creative resistance within these structures. This concept highlights the agency of ordinary people within societal constraints. His work also delved into the "scriptural economy," examining how religious practices evolved from early modern mysticism and orality to modern forms of writing and religious engagement.

In his historical research, de Certeau investigated figures like Jean-Joseph Surin, an exorcist involved in the Loudun possessions, and explored the evolution of religious expression. His work "The Writing of History" critically examined the relationship between historical narratives and political power, suggesting that Western historiography has historically functioned as a tool of colonialism, marginalizing indigenous traditions. This analysis, informed by his travels and teaching in Latin America, is seen as anticipating postcolonial theory. He also explored the mystical dimensions of faith and the transition of religious practices over time.

De Certeau was a participant in major French intellectual movements of his time. He was associated with ressourcement theology and influenced by figures like Henri de Lubac. His engagement with psychoanalysis led him to become a founding member of Jacques Lacan's École Freudienne de Paris. He also attended seminars on semiotics led by Algirdas Julien Greimas. His analysis of the May 1968 protests, which he famously described as a "capture of speech," brought him significant public attention and solidified his position within the Nouvelle histoire movement.