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Newsletter of the Norbert Elias Foundation 13 Ne w sle tte r of the Norb e rt Elia s Found a tion EDITORS’ NOTES nFROM THE NORBERT ELIAS FOUNDATION • Our editorial policy is to promote the free discussion and use of the work of Norbert Second Norbert Elias Amalfi Prize Elias from every point of view. In this issue, Daniel Gordon contributes a summary of lectures he gave recently in Paris, in the context of red-in-tooth-and-claw French aca- The second Norbert Elias Amalfi Prize, for demic politics. In certain respects he revives criticisms which were current years ago, a distinguished first book in Sociology pub- before Elias’s writings were so well-known. But some readers may well find his re- lished in Europe by a European author, will marks on Elias in relation to anti-Semitism and to Max Weber reprehensible – respec- tively morally and intellectually reprehensible. We shall be willing to publish rejoin- be awarded for the second time in May ders in Figurations 14. 2001. Books published during the calendar • Since it has been alleged that Eliasians in France have now moved from being an out- years 1999–2000 qualify for nomination. sider group to being an establishment, it is good to have a report in Figurations 13 of the recent conference at the Université de Paris VII – Denis Diderot, and announce- A formal request for nominations, and de- ments of two others in France (in September at the Université de Metz, and in Octo- tails of how and where they are to be sub- ber at the Université de Haute Bretagne) – all fora in which some of the key problems mitted, will be sent out by the secretariat of relating to civilising and decivilising processes can be openly thrashed out. the Premio Europeo Amalfi towards the • Also highlighted in this issue of Figurations is the new edition and thoroughly revised end of 2000, and included in Figurations translation of The Civilising Process. We would modestly suggest that this supersedes 14. Readers are however, invited to begin the 1978, 1982 and 1994 texts, and that all libraries – private and institutional – giving some thought to the best first books therefore need it on their shelves. which appeared in 1999 and are still ap- • Congratulations to Eric Dunning, whose book Sport Matters (Routledge, 1999) was pearing in 2000. A formal letter of recom- voted the best book of the year in the field by the North American Society for the So- mendation in English must accompany ciology of Sport. Owing to editorial oversight (possibly occasioned by consumption each nomination. of alcohol at the book launch last year in Dublin), Sport Matters has not yet been re- viewed in Figurations. The omission will be rectified in the next issue. The prize is awarded ‘in commemoration of the sociologist Norbert Elias (1897- … AND NOTES ABOUT THE EDITORS 1990), whose writings, at once theoretical and empirical, boldly crossed disciplinary • And congratulations too to Aoife Rickard and William Diamond who are now the boundaries in the human sciences to de- proud parents of baby David, born on 17 May, weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Both velop a long-term perspective on the pat- doing fine! terns of interdependence which human be- • Stephen Mennell has been appointed a member of the new Irish Research Council ings weave together’. The first winner was for the Humanities and Social Sciences, established by the government of Ireland at David Lepoutre, for his book Coeur de the beginning of 2000. The Council will fulfil the functions of the research councils banlieue, and the prize was presented at the found in most other European countries, but which Ireland has hitherto lacked. Premio Europeo Amalfi conference in May • Stephen Mennell has also been appointed founding Director of the new Institute for 1999. the Study of Social Change at the National University of Ireland, Dublin (aka UCD). Funding has been received from the Irish government and private donors to erect a The winning author will receive 1,000 and new building which will house the new National Social Science Data Archive – some- with his or her partner will also be invited to thing else that Ireland has hitherto lacked – and provide facilities for researchers in Amalfi at the expense of the Norbert Elias economics, political science, sociology and social policy, and work stations for 48 PhD Foundation for the prize-giving ceremony. students. Issue No.13 June 2000 Figurations 1 Marbach Stipend This year’s Norbert Elias Foundation Marbach Stipend has been awarded to Da- vid Rotman, of the Université de Paris X – Nanterre, who is working on what might be called a ‘network’ study to elucidate the least well-known period of Elias’s life, from his exile to Paris in 1933 through the first years in England, internment on the Isle of Man, teaching adult education classes and the founding of Group Analysis until his appointment to the Department of Sociology at Leicester in 1954. David will make an inventory of everyone with whom Elias corresponded in these years. n TWOINONE Hermann Korte’s valedictory lecture on Die Ballade vom Armen Jakoband its first staging in Wolfram Maria Märtig (piano), Michail Palewitz (speaker) and Hermann Korte Germany teachers – Helmut Schelsky’s Die skep- and biographical background of their pris- This spring, Hermann Korte retired from tische Generation (The Sceptical Genera- oners is shown in the remark of a camp his post as Professor of Sociology at the tion) and Norbert Elias’s Involvement and commander reported by Max F. Perutz: ‘I University of Hamburg. On 28 March, he Detachment – and describes the attitudes had no idea there were so many Jews gave his valedictory lecture, making it a which characterise Korte’s political and ac- among the Nazis’. very special event by organising the first ademic work. Written by friends, col- performance in Germany of The Ballad of leagues and former students, the Festschrift At Whitsun 1940, Elias was taken away Poor Jacob, a piece written by Norbert reflects his main areas of research: urban from his home in Cambridge, and Gál from Elias (lyrics) and Hans Gál (music) in the sociology, migration, figurational sociol- his in Edinburgh. Thus the composer and internment camp on the Isle of Man in ogy and socio-biographical research, cov- musicologist Hans Gál and the sociologist 1940. ering aspects of Korte’s life as well as re- Norbert Elias came to meet at the interim cent discussions and developments in these camp in Huyton near Liverpool, from The location matched the occasion. The fields. where, after a short stay, they were both farewell speech and performance took shipped to the Isle of Man. In this pre-war place in the main hall of the Literaturhaus in Hermann Korte’s lecture was entitled ‘Poor holiday resort, the boarding houses were Hamburg, whose director, Dr. Ursula Jacob. Poor Norbert. Poor Hans’. He began fenced in with barbed wire and crammed Keller, welcomed Hermann Korte and his by relating how his search for a topic for the with two people per bed. guests – among them Johan and Maria farewell lecture came to an end when he re- Goudsblom and Stephen Mennell from the ceived an unexpected phone call from Si- Drawing heavily on the diary of Hans Gál ‘Elias-community’, and former Mayor of mon Fox-Gál, a grandson of Hans Gál, in- and the autobiographical work of other ex- Hamburg Klaus von Dohnanyi, who knew forming him that he had found the musical iles, Korte’s lecture gave a vivid impression Elias and held him in high esteem – and ex- score of Der Ballade vom armen Jakob. of the everyday lives of the interned. He de- pressed her hope that Hermann would have Soon Korte was not only content with hav- scribed their fears for themselves and for a long and productive retirement and would ing found his topic, but also determined to their families, their anxious wait to be freed give many more of his interesting lectures organise a performance of the work. again, the bad hygienic conditions; but he in the Literaturhaus. also stressed their ability to make the best of In 1940, the British authorities decided in- their situation and to organise a busy camp Dr Keller’s welcome was followed by the discriminately to intern all Germans and life, creating an established community. presentation of the Festschrift entitled Austrians on their territory. Recognised ref- Gál notes in his diary that there was a legal Skepsis und Engagement (Scepticism and ugees from Nazi oppression – Jews, politi- branch, an accommodation office, a can- Involvement), edited in Professor Korte’s cians, journalists, trade unionists and others teen, a welfare office, and a ‘medical hard- honour by Gabriele Klein and Annette – found themselves ‘collared’ as enemy ships’ service. Camp life also included a 1 Treibel, who, when introducing the book, aliens alongside other Germans living in university and even a café with musicians. managed to give a survey of Korte’s Britain and sailors of the German merchant As early as the time in Huyton, academics, achievements in his academic career with- navy. The discomfort of this situation was artists and musicians had organised lec- out making the laudatory speech he had further enhanced by fears that they would tures, theatricals and concerts. Gál’s com- very vigorously opposed. The title of the be used as a bargaining chip in reaching a position named the ‘Huyton Suite’ for flute Festschrift both alludes to major publica- separate peace-treaty with Germany. How and two violins dates from that time: those tions by two of Korte’s most important little the guards knew about the historical were the only three instruments available.
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