Alain Darbel (1932 - August 21st, 1975) was a French sociologist and a former administrator of INSEE. It was interested mainly in sociology of the Administration. Its name remains associated with that with Pierre Bourdieu, with which it a study on the art and the function of the museums, entitled published the Love of art . Alain Darbel, in his capacity as statistician, was in particular in charge of the construction of the sample design and the development of the mathematical model which underlies this work.

A course between sociology and statistics

The Algerian period

At its exit of the school of application of INSEE and after having carried out its military service in Algeria, it is named with the Statistics of Algeria. It meets there Pierre Bourdieu which writes articles for the review of the service of information of the armies and joins together statistical materials for its work the sociology of Algeria . In spite of the war, the Statistics of Algeria launched out, in the context of the Constantine plan, a vast series of statistical surveys. One of its shutters - the Investigation employment and statistics will be published in 1963 pennies the title Travail and workers in Algeria . Darbel forms part with Claude Seibel of the originators of this investigation. To overcome the difficulties related to the use of the tools of investigation and the imported categories of the metropolis, they work with Pierre Bourdieu with the installation of a new associating protocol of investigation statistical and sociological and ethnological investigation (semi-directing talks). Alain Darbel will be also in charge of the statistical contributions of the investigation carried out by Abdelmalek Sayad and Pierre Bourdieu in connection with the " centers of regroupement" who will become the uprooting (Midnight).

The return to Paris

Alain Darbel returns to Paris in 1962. He obtains the possibility of working part-time with the Center of European sociology. In June 1965, it takes part in the organization of a conference of the circle of Noroît of Arras. It is about a debate between sociologists, economists and statisticians mainly resulting from the rows of INSEE on the transformations of the French company according to war. The work the division of the benefit takes again the conclusions of them.

From 1969 to 1972, it occupies the post of head of the department methods and surveys in the service of the statistical studies of the State education. The problems are not unknown for him since it had already taken part in the constitution of the sample design at the base of the Héritiers to Passeron and Bourdieu. It tries to install new indicators which could give an account of the differences in trajectories school according to the social origin of the pupils. Such a step implies a handing-over in fundamental cause of the objectives and methods which characterize traditionally the central administrative services, more attached with a quantitative apprehension of the phenomena than to a qualitative evaluation (it introduces new variables thus which make it possible to better seize the environment of the pupils).

It returns from State education towards INSEE in 1972. It takes part in the introduction within this institution of economic accounts per function (health, education, research, housing…) during the Seventies and Eighties and with the launching of Given social in 1973 of which he becomes editor association. He disappears prematurely in 1975.

Publications

• with Pierre Bourdieu (and collaboration of Dominique Schnapper), Love of Article museums and their public , Paris, Editions of Midnight, “the common Direction”, 1966; 2nd re-examined and increased edition, 1969 and 1992.

• with Jean-Pierre Gautray, Edmond Chambaz and Pierre Leger, human Reproduction. Current aspects of clinical biology , Paris, Masson and Co, 1968.
• with Dominique Schnapper, agents of the administrative system. Morphology of the French important administration , Paris - $the Hague, Sheep, 1969; rééd. 1972.

Notes and references of the article

• Claude Seibel. " Bonds between Pierre Bourdieu and statisticians starting from his experiment algérienne" , in Jacques Bouveresse and Daniel Roche (to dir.). the freedom of knowledge , Odile Jacob, 2004.