In Medias Res Publicas: On Intellectuals and Social Criticism in the Cuban Public Sphere

In the midst of public things: that is where intellectuals are called upon to carry out their roles in their respective countries. But, as the authors of the Prince Claus Fund document The Role of the Intellectual (2000, 3) state, ‘‘in a number of respects the role of intellectuals differs from coun-try to country,’ ’ and the ‘‘material, cultural and political constraints’ ’ that they experience ‘‘differ from situation to situation.’ ’ These differences must be taken into account if we are to avoid falling into illicit extrapolations, unfounded generalizations, and ethnocentrisms. Hence, as the document adds, ‘‘there is a need to understand the role of intellectuals in these con-texts and to discuss key dilemmas.’