Sami Naïr was born in Tilimcen, Algeria, in 1946. He is a political scientist, philosopher, sociologist and French professor, a specialist in migratory movements and the creator of the concept of co-development.
He was adviser to the government of Lionel Jospin from 1997 to 1999 and an MEP until 2004. He is a professor of political science and director of the Mediterranean Andalusian Center (CMA) at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville. Professor of political science at the University of Paris 8 since 1970, he obtained a doctorate in political philosophy at the Sorbonne in 1973, and in arts and human sciences in 1979. He directed the journal Les temps modernes with Simone de Beauvoir and L’Evenément européen. He has been a guest lecturer at several universities and lectured at different institutes, research centres and universities in Europe, the Maghreb, Egypt, Lebanon, India, Latin America and the United States.
He has contributed to newspapers such as Le Monde, Libération and El Periódico de Catalunya. He is also a columnist for the newspaper El País. He is a firm defender of the rights of immigrants. An intelligent, sensitive man, he seeks to connect and unite the countries of north and south.
Sami Naïr’s struggle for the recognition of immigrant rights has earned him awards such as the International Cooperation Prize, in 2000, and the Cristóbal Gabarrón International Foundation Prize for his career in 2006. More recently he was awarded the 2012 Terenci Moix International Prize in the essay category for his latest book La lección tunecina: cómo la revolución de la dignidad ha derrocado al poder mafioso (2011).
He has published numerous books, including Machiavel et Marx:du fétichisme du pouvoir à la passion du social (1984); Le Caire, la Victorieuse: journal d’un voyage égyptien (1986); Le Différent méditerranéen (1992); Mediterráneo hoy: entre el diálogo y el rechazo (1995); En el nombre de Dios (1995); Le déplacement du monde (1996), with Javier de Lucas; Una política de civilització (1998), with Edgar Morin; El desplazamiento en el mundo: inmigración y temáticas de identidad (1998), with Javier de Lucas; Las heridas abiertas (1998); La immigració explicada a la meva filla (2001); El peaje de la vida (2000), with Juan Goytisolo; El imperio frente a la diversidad del mundo (2003); Y vendrán… Las migraciones en tiempos hostiles (2006), and La Europa mestiza. Inmigración, ciudadanía, codesarrollo (2010).
LiberPress Award 2012
Sami Naïr received the 2012 LiberPress Award for his firm political, literary and journalistic career in defence of human rights, especially regarding migratory movements, exiles, refugees and the need for North-South dialogue, a task that he has undertaken with great intelligence, erudition, passion and sensitivity; and also for his constant, stubborn stand on behalf of equality between human beings, and peace and understanding among all peoples and all cultures.