Cercle de l'Oratoire
Encyclopedia
The Cercle de l'Oratoire (French
for "Oratory Circle") is a French think tank
created a short time after the September 11, 2001 attacks
. Since 2006, it edits a journal, Le Meilleur des mondes. The Circle is led by the journalist Michel Taubmann, who is also in charge of the news at Arte
-Paris, and of his wife Florence, a pastor
at the Temple de l'oratoire du Louvre and vice-president of the Amitié judéo-chrétienne group (Judeo-Christian Friendship). Many of its members (André Glucksmann
, Pascal Bruckner
, Romain Goupil, etc.) and the Meilleur des mondes journal supported the US invasion of Iraq, a minority viewpoint in France.
and headed by Michel Taubmann. It launched a first petition
in favor of United Nations
's intervention in Afghanistan
. Two years later, it published another petition in Le Figaro
supporting the US invasion of Iraq .
This journal has been described by some in the French media as the "Voice of America" or as a gathering point of French neoconservatives (néo-conservateurs à la française) . The journal, however, rejects these labels, describing itself as "anti-totalitarian
". It considers radical Islam as a "real danger", and claims that "there has never been so much anti-Jewish propaganda
."
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for "Oratory Circle") is a French think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
created a short time after the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. Since 2006, it edits a journal, Le Meilleur des mondes. The Circle is led by the journalist Michel Taubmann, who is also in charge of the news at Arte
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
-Paris, and of his wife Florence, a pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
at the Temple de l'oratoire du Louvre and vice-president of the Amitié judéo-chrétienne group (Judeo-Christian Friendship). Many of its members (André Glucksmann
André Glucksmann
André Glucksmann is a French philosopher and writer, and member of the French new philosophers.-Early years:André Glucksmann was born in 1937, in Boulogne-Billancourt, the son of Ashkenazi Jewish parents from Romania and Czechoslovakia. He studied in Lyon, and later enrolled at École normale...
, Pascal Bruckner
Pascal Bruckner
Pascal Bruckner is a French writer.-Biography:After studies at the university Paris I and Paris VII Diderot, and then at the École Pratique des Hautes Études, Bruckner became maître de conférences at the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, and collaborator at the Nouvel Observateur.Bruckner...
, Romain Goupil, etc.) and the Meilleur des mondes journal supported the US invasion of Iraq, a minority viewpoint in France.
Le Meilleur des mondes
The journal Le Meilleur des mondes is published by the éditions DenoëlÉditions Denoël
Éditions Denoël is a French publishing house founded in 1930 by the Belgian Robert Denoël and the American Bernard Steele .Called the Éditions Denoël-Steel during its first few years, it had its first success in 1932 with Voyage au bout de la nuit by Louis-Ferdinand Céline...
and headed by Michel Taubmann. It launched a first petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
in favor of United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
's intervention in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Two years later, it published another petition in Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
supporting the US invasion of Iraq .
This journal has been described by some in the French media as the "Voice of America" or as a gathering point of French neoconservatives (néo-conservateurs à la française) . The journal, however, rejects these labels, describing itself as "anti-totalitarian
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
". It considers radical Islam as a "real danger", and claims that "there has never been so much anti-Jewish propaganda
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
."
Composition
- Several intellectualIntellectualAn intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
s such as André GlucksmannAndré GlucksmannAndré Glucksmann is a French philosopher and writer, and member of the French new philosophers.-Early years:André Glucksmann was born in 1937, in Boulogne-Billancourt, the son of Ashkenazi Jewish parents from Romania and Czechoslovakia. He studied in Lyon, and later enrolled at École normale...
and Pascal BrucknerPascal BrucknerPascal Bruckner is a French writer.-Biography:After studies at the university Paris I and Paris VII Diderot, and then at the École Pratique des Hautes Études, Bruckner became maître de conférences at the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, and collaborator at the Nouvel Observateur.Bruckner... - Film makers such as Romain Goupil, Jacques Tarnero and Raphaël Glucksmann
- Historians such as Stéphane CourtoisStéphane CourtoisStéphane Courtois is a French historian, an internationally known expert on communist studies, particularly the history of communism and communist genocides, and author of several books...
, Max LagarrigueMax LagarrigueMax Lagarrigue, born in 1972 in Castelsarrasin, is a French historian specialising in rural communism and a journalist.- Biography :Lagarrigue taught the History of communism at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris and has published numerous papers including in the magazine Communism ...
and Ilios YannakakisIlios YannakakisIlios Yannakakis is a French historian and political scientist of Greek descent, professor emeritus of the University of Lille III....
. - Mohammed Abdi, secretary general of the NGO Ni Putes Ni SoumisesNi Putes Ni SoumisesNi Putes Ni Soumises is a French feminist movement, founded in 2002, which has secured the recognition of the French press and the National Assembly of France. It is generally dependent on public funding...
- Jacky Mamou, former President of Médecins du MondeMédecins du MondeMédecins du Monde or Doctors of the World, is a non-governmental humanitarian aid organisation created in March 1980 by 15 French doctors, including Bernard Kouchner after he had left Médecins Sans Frontières , the aid society which he had co-founded earlier in 1971...
(Doctors of the World), - Pierre-André TaguieffPierre-André TaguieffPierre-André Taguieff is a philosopher and director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research in an Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris laboratory, the CEVIPOF...
, research director at the CNRS - Thérèse DelpechThérèse DelpechThérèse Delpech has been director of strategic studies at the French Atomic Energy Commission since 1997. She is also a researcher with CERI at Sciences Po, commissioner with the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, and international adviser to the International...
, director of strategic affairs at the Commissariat à l'énergie atomiqueCommissariat à l'Énergie AtomiqueThe Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives or CEA, is a French “public establishment related to industrial and commercial activities” whose mission is to develop all applications of nuclear power, both civilian and military...
(CEA) and researcher at the CERICeriCeri is a small town in the Lazio , a frazione of the comune of Cerveteri, in the province of Rome. It occupies a fortified plateau of tuff at a short distance from the city of Cerveteri. -History:...
Institute - Bruno Tertrais, former director of the civil affairs commission at the NATO Assembly and also a CERI researcher
- Frédéric EncelFrédéric EncelFrédéric Encel is a French writer and scholar of geopolitics. He received his DEA in geopolitics from the Centre de recherches et d’analyses géopolitiques at the University of Paris VIII in 1992. He remained there studying under Yves Lacoste and earned his doctorate in geopolitics in 1997...
, a geopolitist specialist of the Middle EastMiddle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East... - Antonio Elorza, a political sciences professor at the University of MadridComplutense University of MadridThe Complutense University of Madrid is a university in Madrid, and one of the oldest universities in the world. It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighboring city of...
- Writers Olivier RolinOlivier RolinOlivier Rolin is a French writer.He won the Prix Femina in 1994, for his novel Port-Soudan.His brother Jean is also a writer and journalist.-External links:*...
and Marc Weitzmann - Journalists Cécilia Gabizon, specialist of Islam issues at the FigaroLe FigaroLe Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
newspaper, Elisabeth Schemla, founder of the website proche-orient.info, Antoine Vitkine, journalist at Arte TV, Jean-Luc Mouton, director of the Protestant weekly Réforme, Violaine de Marsangy, a freelance journalist and former responsible of logistics for the NGO Action contre la faim in North Korea and Indonesia, Claire Brière-Blanchet - Lawyer Michel Laval.