This article chooses some subjects for the research on exerting the intellectual activity in the Brazil analyzing three distinct historical moments and the three corresponding ways of organization of intellectuals: the Academies and Institutes, the University, and the non-governmental organizations. The main suggestion is the continuity of the figure of the Brazilian public intellectual, differing from the perspectives that point to the decline of this character in strong university institutionalization contexts. The inclusion of NGOs in the reflection, though surpassing the prevailing model to deal with the theme in Brazil, aims at stimulating the debate on the intellectual activity in the country in a moment of outstanding structural transformations in the realm of culture.
Public Intellectual; Academy; University; Non-governmental organizations