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Interview with Patrick Viveret

Version 2 2021-03-11, 09:45
Version 1 2021-02-09, 14:01
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posted on 2021-03-11, 09:45 authored by Robert GildeaRobert Gildea
Viveret, Patrick
Catholic Students/Nanterre Environmentalism/Jeunesse Étudiante Chrétienne/ 22 March movement/ Parti Socialiste Unifié/ Porto Alegre World Social Forum/Grenelle de l’Environnement

Family
Born 16 Mar. 1948, Creteil (Val d’Oise). Father from Paris region, an accountant, mother from Haute Savoie, of Italian/Swiss origin (Luchini), nurse with Resistance/Francs Tireurs et Partisans in Savoy , with climber Maurice Herzog. Parents on left, ‘Christianisme social’.

Education
Lycée Joliot-Curie Nanterre (1958-65), University of Nanterre (1965-8), ldegree in philosophy with psychology. At Sciences-Po Sept 1968, masters on Thomism. Teacher training, got CAPES.

Political Apprenticeship
Through Jeunesse Étudiante Chrétienne (JEC) Lycée, becoming national leader, in conflict with Bishop of Paris after crisis 1965. Also In student union UNEF. Against Vietnam war but not in ‘violent’ comités. Met Rocard 1967

1968
In 22 March movement at Nanterre, against hard-line ‘traditional’ approach of Trotskyst/Maoist militants. Looking for a new approach to politics, creative, non-violent, ludic. Wrote ‘Nous refusons d’être sages’ in Messages 19 May 1968, for Catholic audience. Disappointed by Pierre Mendès France’s refusal to act in 1968 crisis.

Post 1968
Left teaching for career as journalist and adviser. Worked for Parti Socialiste Unifié (PSU) after 1968. Campaigned for Rocard election in Yvelines against Couve de Murville 1969. Worked for PSU’s Tribune socialiste, under penname Gerard Feron (1972-4), then Faire after Assises du socialisme and foundation of PS, till 1981, then Intervention - on anti-totalitarian left.
Lived in community 1973-8, with partner and child, and another couple.
Brought in by prime minister Rocard 1988-90 to study RMI. In Cour des Comptes 1990 to work on inside as well as outside. Transversales. Science, Culture 1992-6. Brought in by Jospin to study society fixated by wealth/production/productivity, looking at sustainable development, ecology, impact of globalisation. At Porto Alegre Forum social mondial 2001 and Grenelle de l’Environnement 2007.

Publications
Attention Illich (Cerf, 1976), Reconsidérer la richesse (Aube, 2003), Fraternité, j'écris ton nom! (Éditions les Liens qui libèrent, 2015)

Funding

Around 1968: Activism, Networks, Trajectories

Arts and Humanities Research Council

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History

Date of interview

2008-05-15

Place of interview

Paris

Name of activist

Patrick Viveret

Activist date of birth

1948-03-16

Activist Gender

  • Male

Activist nationality

French

Name of interviewer

Robert Gildea

Name of transcriber

Nora Khayi

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    Around 1968

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