born in Reims in 1953, is a philosopher and a sociologist. He is a Montgomery Fellow at Dartmouth College (USA) and is considered one of France’s most important intellectuals. He is the author of numerous influential books and regularly comments on political events. He became well-known in Germany with »Retour à Reims« (2009; Eng. »Returning to Reims«, 2013). »Réflexions sur la question gay« (1999, Eng. »Insult and the Making of the Gay Self«, 2004) will be published in German in 2019.