The study retraces and discusses Sergio Miceli's contribution to the sociology of intellectuals. The hypothesis is that despite the focus in his research on the internal elements in intellectuals' strategies for insertion, Miceli leaves the tension open in the assumption of autonomy in an "intellectual field" and its relations with the broader social process. We highlight his proposal of biography as the analytical locus, discussing (1) the ambiguities deriving from the lack of distinction between biography as a source and as a method, (2) the class-based nature of his sociology of intellectuals, and (3) the emphasis on the heterogeneity underlying the macro-sociological categories. We discuss other views that compete with Miceli's perspective and argue for a new understanding of ideas as reflexive social forces and as part of the agenda in contemporary sociology.
intellectuals; ideas; social thought; contemporary Brazilian sociology