This presentation was an opportunity to shift the seminar's focus to the field of art, which is particularly interesting because inequalities there appear to be legitimate. While sociology traditionally focuses on inequalities in cultural consumption, Pierre Menger proposes to study inequalities in access to the cultural professions and the associated inequalities in success.
In his talk, he highlighted a paradox: the growing attractiveness of artistic jobs (manifested, in particular, by the growth in the number of jobs) despite the considerable flexibility that their legal forms allow, and the very strong inequalities associated with them, depending on the profession, sector, training and past experience. This paradox, and the acceptance of a wage penalty compared to other employees with the same level of training, can be explained by the particularities of the profession (flexibility, freedom, prestige, etc.) and the hope of subsequent recognition.
Pierre-Michel Menger has presented three explanatory models for inequalities in the arts: the essentialist meritocratic model (those who succeed are the most gifted), the normative critique (it's the division of artistic labor that creates inequalities) and the dynamic analysis of inequality formation he formulates. This latter model argues that once a talent has been detected (through competitions, prizes or charts), the market, with all its attention-grabbing technology, comes into play to amplify the gaps, producing very significant inequalities in remuneration and success. This model has the dual advantage of leaving the ranking factors undetermined, without denying that rankings exist, and of taking into account the specific inequalities born of talent.
The discussion highlighted the fact that the artistic world may seem the most unequal, but it is also one in which resources against disenchantment are the most important. It was also an opportunity to transpose the reflection to the world of science, where the question of measuring and rewarding talent is also central. Finally, a distinction was made between the worlds of art and science and the world of sport, where the groups competing are relatively homogeneous and talent is more easily measured.
Pierre-Michel Menger is Director of Research at the CNRS and Director of Studies at the EHESS. He is the author of Les intermittents du spectacle. Sociologie d'une exception (Editions de l'EHESS, 2005) and Le travail créateur. S'accomplir dans l'incertain (Gallimard, 2009).
