Is the independence of social sciences seriously in jeopardy?
The purpose of this article is to assess the evolution of the inherent threats to researchers and their ability to freely conduct independent inquiries which were raised during the 2009 « droit d’enquêter » conference that culminated with the publication of Enquêter : de quel droit ?. Beginning with a survey of the observations offered by colleagues who responded to « Attentats », the invitation to comment from the Paris-based scientific research organization, the Centre nationale de la recherche scientifique (CRNS), I re-examine various issues regarding the legal constraints to research. In particular, I focus on specific forms of heteronomization with which academic inquiry must contend to maintain its independence in order to justify its relevance and legitimacy.