Le flâneur urbain et la masse-nomade. Réflexion inspirée des textes de Benjamin et de Kracauer dans les années 1920-1930

This paper is a historical consideration of flaneurs in the 19th century (Walter Benjamin) as a prototype of the nomadic masses in the cultural sphere of the beginning of the 20th century (Siegfried Kracauer). Starting with Benjamin's descriptions of types of flaneur and flanerie, it follows the way that flaneurs were turned into sandwichmen (the salaried flaneur) and how that happened step by step with the social process of rationalization, whereby "sociality" was undermined. Focusing on the problematic of sociality, this paper further examines Kracauer's explorations of the cultural activities and engagements of the salaried masses that became nomadic in the cultural sphere, revitalizing sociality and making new forms of social groups connected to sport, cinema, tourism, etc. This can be seen as a kind of return of the flaneurs and flanerie of the past. Finally, a new definition of of "flaneur" is suggested in light of the recent transnationalization of a certain type of flanerie.