سؤال النخبة في التراث النظري الغربي؛ من كينونة الظاهرة إلى مأسسة المفهوم

Abstract EN

This study came as an attempt to dig and investigate the issue of the elite-the phenomenon and the concept-; but from a purely sociological point of view, it relies on the conceptual apparatus and the epistemological tool that sociology abounds and that distinguishes it from other disciplines, in which this subject is also at the center of its interests.

such as politics, history and philosophy.

we have dealt with it-that is, the subject-from various aspects, following a special methodology and style, and also relying on the literature written about it in the sociological theoretical heritage.

however, our focus focused on the following points: definition of the concept in Western intellectual discourse; and the most important problems it raises in the sociological theoretical field; then we touched on the historical context of the emergence and development of the elitist phenomenon in human societies, past and present; after that, we reviewed the most important theories and theoretical contributions that established this concept, especially the classical ones.

finally, we dealt with the relationship of the concept of elite as a purely Arabic label to the concept of elite, which carries a Western epistemological and semantic load.

the study concluded that the elite as a phenomenon is as old as the human society.

but as a concept, it is a relatively recent one that appeared to be hostile to Marxist thought.