The Dreyfus Affair and the Rise of the French Public Intellectual

While countless books have chronicled the wrongful conviction of French military officer Alfred Dreyfus, his ensuing trials, and his eventual exoneration, this distinctive volume examines France’s Dreyfus Affair (1894–1906) with a critical eye, analyzing the actions of its main protagonists, the rise of the public intellectual, and the Affair’s continued relevance. After a brief overview of the events to establish the poisoned ideological climate of the day, the work explores how intellectuals like Bernard Lazare, Émile Zola, and others contributed to the Affair, defining both it and themselves in the process. With mini-portraits of the key players and a detailed chronology, this telling book combines rigorous scholarship with cultural commentary to demonstrate the continued relevance of the example set by Dreyfus and his many supporters.

Tom Conner earned his Ph.D. at Yale University and is a professor of Modern Languages and Literatures at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin. He is author and editor of five books and a frequent contributor to journals such as The French Review and The NECTFL Review. He lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin.