Impact Awards—
2024 Gold Medal winner: Jean-Marc Narbonne

Jean-Marc Narbonne, professor of philosophy and Canada Research Chair in Critical Antiquity and Emerging Modernity at the Université Laval, is passionate about democratic thinking as it relates to Greek philosophy. He is particularly interested in how Greek critical thinking has influenced the development of democracy and of contemporary Western culture.

Narbonne has had an inquiring mind from a very young age. As far back as he can remember, he has been fascinated by social, political and philosophical questions, and has felt compelled to understand our origins, civilization and culture, and the foundations of our ways of life.

“For me, receiving the SSHRC Gold Medal is a recognition that people are interested in my research on the history of political philosophy,” he says. “I am thrilled to share this honour with my university and my colleagues.”

Narbonne’s work is not limited to exploring ancient philosophy; it also actively contributes to modern democratic theory and practices. Driven by an immense interest in the connections between historical knowledge and current cultural, ethical and political challenges, Narbonne has paved the way for new and original ways to rethink democracy in the long term. Amid a democratic society facing significant resistance, his philosophical-political vision reaffirms the foundations of our culture and deepens understanding about the functioning of our democracy and how current political and social issues can be addressed.

“The work I’m doing on the democratic tradition can be explained using a simple analogy,” says Narbonne. “Let’s take the example of an old house. Before we can renovate it, we have to inspect the foundation, learn when and how it was built and figure out what damage it has suffered. The same is true for contemporary democracy: to improve it, we first have to understand its origins and its history, then determine which aspects we should keep or discard.”

Because of political instability rearing its head in many parts of the globe, society is increasingly concerned with democracy. These concerns can be assuaged, however, by realizing that, like the ancient democratic tradition, the contemporary democratic tradition is based on principles of justice that must be protected, such as freedom, mutual respect and commitment to equality. Through his research, Narbonne highlights the importance of these principles and the need to preserve them in order to respond to social and political issues.

Aware how complex his research area can be, Narbonne has dedicated himself to extending the reach of his work by teaching philosophy and training the next generation. Among his achievements is a web series called Les lumières grecques [The Greek Luminaries, in French only], which he created with students as a simple way to retrace the steps of democracy’s establishment in Greece, and its related cultural traits. He is also head of the Zêtêzis collection, which publishes works on the history of philosophy and current philosophical topics and debates.

“In research, I’m motivated by the joy of discovering and sharing knowledge,” says Narbonne. “I encourage my students to approach their work with perseverance and integrity. It is through an open, honest and critical research approach that research results can benefit everyone.”

Jean-Marc Narbonne is recognized throughout Canada and around the world as one of the foremost experts on ancient Greek philosophy, and especially on the influence of critical thought on the development of Western culture.