"Public intellectuals" is a vague notion, but in this session focus will be on sociologists who have become public intellectuals, e g the Myrdals (Gunnar Myrdal was a public intellectual on three continents). "Sociologist" is to be understood in a broader sense. Max Weber and Gunnar Myrdal both qualify, despite having academic chairs in economics. Alva Myrdal had no academic position at all, yet played an important role in a formative phase of early academic sociology in Sweden.
Ever since Machiavelli public intellectuals have had various relationships with the political powers (decision makers, popular mass movements) in society and their role in the public sphere has varied with context. Some have pursued double careers, such as Gunnar Myrdal and Thomas Masaryk. It appears as increasingly relevant to problematize the concept of public intellectuals and to diversify their function in policy formation. East of the Elbe we find a "Stunde Null"-situation with an open future, in which sociology appears as less prophylactic and therapeutic and more policy oriented, like in Sweden half a century ago.
"Rationalizing intellectuals" during the days of social engineering/piecemeal reform (in Sweden 1932-1974) had a tight relationship to political actors. Today's public intellectuals, only to mention Giddens, Bourdieu, Dahrendorf, Beck, Habermas; display a diversified pattern in the public sphere. If they have political influence their function might appear as ideological and their position arguably as schizophrenic (role conflict).
West of the Elbe public intellectuals tend to provide "interpretive schemes", to relieve the pain and frustration of post-Modern disorientation; East of the Elbe basic social engineering still has a market, in classical fields of social reform, such as health care, nutrition, education, employment policy, housing, etc.
If you wish to present a paper in the session "The Types and Roes of Public Intellectuals" send an abstract of no more than one page to Sven Eliaeson: seliaes@ceu.edu.pl.