France

“The Beginning of the End? The Italo-French Row over Schengen and the Lessons of Past ‘Crises’ for the Future of Border Free Europe”

by Ruben Zaiotti

European Union Centre of Excellence (EUCE) Occasional Paper No. 12 (June 2011), Dalhousie University

The row between the French and Italian governments over the issue of migrants fleeing North Africa in the wake of the... more The row between the French and Italian governments over the issue of migrants fleeing North Africa in the wake of the ‘jasmine revolutions’ has raised some serious doubts about the future of Schengen, the policy regime that guarantees the free movement of people across Europe. Does this row really represent, as some commentators have suggested, the beginning of the end for one of the key pillars of European integration? In this paper I contend that the regime, despite some ominous signs, is not doomed. On the contrary, in the long term it might emerge reinforced from its current predicament. To support this argument, this paper reconstructs the evolution of Schengen’s past ‘crises’, showing how their content, dynamics and key protagonists bear striking similarities with the recent Franco-Italian row and its political fallout. From an institutional perspective, these crises represent cyclical adjustment mechanisms that have helped the regime withstand new challenges and consolidate its presence in Europe. The correspondences with past events suggest that the latest crisis is leading Schengen towards a similar institutional path.

Spreading participatory governance in a controlling State: “Councils for Development” in France and Aquitaine.

by David Capes

In France there is a traditional opposition to ways of democracy that are not under control of
representative... more In France there is a traditional opposition to ways of democracy that are not under control of
representative and/or administrative government. This can be better understood through the history of
how the French Republic has fought against its enemies. But since about forty years, under the pressure
of nation-based groups and international organisations, France has developed a legal framework in order
to encourage new ways of citizen participation in public policies and public services. These regulations
are being both abundant and not compulsory. Few good uses are made of these new opportunities for
citizen participation, which are often considered as counterproductive. Nevertheless, since the end of the
1990s, numerous experiences of inter-city non-governmental organisations called “Councils for
Development” (“Conseils de développement”) have started to generate new opportunities for citizens to
take part in decision-making and implementing processes of local public policies, often multiinstitutionnal
ones. This paper presents programmes that aim at activating citizen participation in the
Region of Aquitaine (region of Bordeaux). The programmes are inspired by social-pragmatist principles
and started with specific citizens: entrepreneurs members of Chambers of Commerce & Industry,
Chamber of Craft-Industry, and/or Chamber of Agriculture. They provided local participatory public
policies aiming at developing economic or social potentials. The article stress two types of results: first,
private-public partnerships aiming at improving local policies of employment and professional training;
second, the commitment and sometimes the leadership of firms in defining local environmental policies
(for example waste management) that help different levels of government to find local partners.

การประกอบสร้างรัฐฆราวาสนิยมในฝรั่งเศส: นัยต่อชาวมุสลิมและผ้าคลุมศีรษะ(ที่สูญหาย)

by Thapiporn Suporn

Journal of European Studies Vol.19 (2) July-December 2011.

บทคัดย่อ

คุณลักษณะสำคัญของรัฐสมัยใหม่ประการหนึ่งคือ... more บทคัดย่อ

คุณลักษณะสำคัญของรัฐสมัยใหม่ประการหนึ่งคือ หลักการฆราวาสนิยมหรือแนวคิดในการแบ่งแยกระหว่างรัฐและศาสนาเพื่อสร้างรัฐอันเป็นเอกภาพ ตลอดจนหลีกเลี่ยงการให้สิทธิพิเศษแก่ศาสนาหรือความเชื่ออื่นใดเพื่อรักษาไว้ซึ่งความเป็นกลางและความเท่าเทียมระหว่างพลเมืองภายในรัฐ อย่างไรก็ตามแต่บทความนี้เสนอว่าในทางปฏิบัติการประกอบสร้างรัฐฆราวาส ณ ปัจจุบันยังห่างไกลจากสภาวะดังกล่าว พิจารณาได้จากกรณีปัญหาเกี่ยวกับผ้าคลุมศีรษะในฝรั่งเศสซึ่งถูกตีความว่าขัดต่อหลักการฆราวาสนิยมและอุดมการณ์แห่งการก่อตั้งสาธารณรัฐฝรั่งเศส นอกจากนี้หลักการฆราวาสนิยมซึ่งถูกผลิตและผลิตซ้ำให้กลายเป็นอุดมการณ์หลักทางสังคมโดยรัฐและกลไกทางอุดมการณ์ ยังถูกใช้เพื่อสร้างความชอบธรรมในการกำหนดกรอบพฤติกรรมและควบคุมสมาชิกในสังคม บทความนี้สรุปว่าความพยายามในการประยุกต์หลักการฆราวาสนิยมในสังคมฝรั่งเศสกลับลดทอนพื้นที่และเสรีภาพในการแสดงศรัทธาของชาวมุสลิม ซึ่งท้ายที่สุดแล้วนำมาซึ่งความแปลกแยกทางชาติพันธุ์ของชาวฝรั่งเศสเชื้อสายมุสลิม

Abstract

One of the most significant attributes of the modern state is a concept of secularism, denoting the separation between religion and state. The secular state aims to create the statist unity and avoids privileging either religious or cults in order to create the equality of social members. Nevertheless, this study argues that the secularism, in practice, is far from such conditions, considering from the headscarf controversy in French society interpreting as a symbol against the principle of secularism and the fundamental ideology of the republic of France. In addition, the principle of secularism, produced and reproduced as a dominant ideology by the state and the ideological state apparatus, has been used to legitimize a way to control over people and their behavior. This study concludes that the implementation of secularism in France, in fact, diminishes the freedom of expression of Muslim, and thereby, eventually, has stimulated the ethnic alienation of French Muslims.

Représentation collective du loup dans un village du Mercantour, les inquiétudes d'une communauté rurale face à son avenir

by Nicolas Lescureux

MSc thesis, National Museum of Natural History (Paris)

In order to understand the origin of conflicts between humans and wolves in the French Alps, we made a survey in a... more In order to understand the origin of conflicts between humans and wolves in the French Alps, we made a survey in a village of the Roya Valley, part of the Mercantour National Park's Buffer zone. Our results show that contrary to some arguments, the conflict was not due to a reminiscence of negative wolf image from the ancient bestiary. The conflict rather appears as a modern conflict link to villagers' concerns about the future of their village. This concern takes place in a context of rural abandonment, landscape change and contested protected area. Moreover, this conflict is under some external influences increasing its intensity.

Microfinance in the welfare state, a tool for increased social inclusion and poverty alleviation?

by Inès Chadi

The aim of the study was to determine whether the impacts of personal microcredits in the welfare state can lead to... more The aim of the study was to determine whether the impacts of personal microcredits in the welfare state can lead to increased social and financial inclusion of the beneficiaries, and if personal microcredit can serve to alleviate poverty. Focus of the study was personal microcredits in France, and more specifically personal those obtained through the French Red Cross. The methods used for the study were qualitative interviews and collection of quantitative data supported by the Secours Catholiq

2 Exhibitions in Paris (Cité de l'Architecture Palais de Chaillot): Social Housing 2 and Urban Transport (in Italian)

by Denis Bocquet

Published in: Il Giornale dell'Architettura, n.105, May 2012, p.27

A critique of two exhibitions at the Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine (Paris, Palais de Chaillot):
- Vers... more A critique of two exhibitions at the Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine (Paris, Palais de Chaillot):
- Vers de nouveaux logements sociaux 2
- Circuler. Quand nos mouvements façonnent les villes (Jean-Marie Duthilleul

Key Words

Edilizia sociale social housing circolare trasporti urbani transport transportation Jean-Marie Duthilleul Arep Sncf Jean Nouvel Cantal-Dupart Marcel Bajard Louis Dandrel Bernard Lubat Harvey Wiley Robinson Leigh Grand Paris Eiffel Raymond Lopez Mérignac Bordeaux Saint-Nazaire Lyon Lione Anne Lacaton Jean-Philippe Vassal Bègles King Kong King-Kong architectes Tank Tania Concko Rudy Ricciotti Lens Frédéric Druot équerre d'argent Dominique Perrault Groningen Bois-le-Prêtre Edouard François Champigny-sur-Marne utopie urbain urban planning

Bernard Tschumi and the Battle of Alesia (in Italian)

by Denis Bocquet

Published in: Il Giornale dell'Architettura, 105, May 2012, p.14

A presentation of the new museum of the battle of Alesia (52bc) in Burgondy, near Dijon, by architect Bernard Tschumi A presentation of the new museum of the battle of Alesia (52bc) in Burgondy, near Dijon, by architect Bernard Tschumi

Jean-Pierre Cassarino, "Priorités migratoires d'hier et vrais enjeux d'aujourd'hui", Le Maghreb Magazine, n.8, avril 2012, Tunis, pp. 88-90.

by Jean-Pierre Cassarino

Lorsque l’on évoque la coopération bilatérale en matière de gouvernance migratoire, entre la Tunisie et la France, il... more Lorsque l’on évoque la coopération bilatérale en matière de gouvernance migratoire, entre la Tunisie et la France, il est presque immédiat de penser à l’accord cadre relatif à la gestion concertée des migrations et au développement solidaire, signé en avril 2008. Avant son entrée en vigueur en juillet 2009, l’ancien ministre français des affaires étrangères et européennes, Bernard Kouchner, expliquait au Sénat que l’accord s’articule autour de « l'organisation de la migration légale fondée sur la mobilité […], la lutte contre l'immigration irrégulière [par la coopération renforcée en matière d’éloignement ou de réadmission des migrants tunisiens en situation irrégulière] et l'établissement d'une coopération visant à favoriser la mise en place d'un modèle de développement au bénéfice du pays d'origine ». Ce triple volet résume les intentions formulées dans ce type d’accord.
A quoi répond ce triple volet alliant le contrôle des flux migratoires, réguliers et irréguliers, à l’aide au développement ? Pour y répondre, il est important de souligner que l’on ne peut isoler la coopération bilatérale en matière de gouvernance migratoire d’un cadre plus large d’interactions entre les Etats, où s’entremêlent des intérêts stratégiques, voire plus vitaux, que la lutte contre l’immigration irrégulière. En d’autres termes, il faut non seulement aller au-delà du fait migratoire, mais aussi analyser les facteurs qui ont contribué à ce que la France développe ce type d’accords cadres avec certains pays du continent africain, dont la Tunisie, et comprendre, ensuite, les raisons pour lesquelles, et en fonction de quels intérêts stratégiques (escomptés et réels), la Tunisie a ratifié cet accord en 2009.

The French anti-racist movement and the Muslim Question

by Timothy Peace

Published in 'Political and Cultural Representations of Muslims' (Brill 2012)

The question of Islam and the existence of Islamophobia are hotly debated and contested issues in France, particularly... more The question of Islam and the existence of Islamophobia are hotly debated and contested issues in France, particularly since the law banning religious symbols in schools. One aspect of this debate that has been neglected by scholars has been the way in which these questions have divided many on the Left in France, a situation that is particularly acute amongst French anti-racist groups. In this chapter I trace the roots of these divisions which have resurfaced and been exacerbated by episodes in recent years, in particular the parallel rise in Islamophobia and acts of antisemitism. I shed light on the reasons for the splits and internal divisions that have been created within organisations such as the MRAP and examine in particular the Mohammed caricature controversy and the subsequent trial of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. I argue that the divisions within these groups are less a product of the latent islamophobia produced by the media and more a consequence of the deeply embedded norms and discourses within the anti-racist movement that has, to some extent, been thrown into practical disarray by the emergence of ‘the Muslim question’.

“How 'ya gonna keep'em down at the farm now that they've seen Paree?”: France in Super Hero Comics

by Nicolas Labarre

Any extensive reading of super hero comics will reveal that the representation of France within the genre borrows... more Any extensive reading of super hero comics will reveal that the representation of France within the genre borrows mostly from touristic clichés, using the country as a foreign, exotic yet not too disorientating setting. Narrative economy and gradual refinements have led to the creation of a codified, consensual and unrealistic depiction of France, centered mostly on Paris and the Eiffel Tower. However, this efficient codification is not value-free. A study of Justice League Europe, a rare example of super-hero series set in France over a long period reveals that France is consistently depicted as a place of history, while being denied a contemporary significance. The country appears as a fascinating but subordinate neighbor, and this evaluation can in turn be found, albeit in a more elliptic way, in numerous series portraying France only in short episodes. The self-consciousness of modern super hero comics, however, suggests that the notion of representation should be handled with care. The depiction of France in super-hero comics originates in part in the perception of the country in the United States, but it also derives in a significant way from the internal evolutions of the genre.

Laïcité Revisited: Sarkozy’s Break From Fifth Republic Precedent

by Nathaniel Moldoff

Term Paper for GOV 322 (French Politics), taught by Prof. Kerry Whiteside

This paper examines the unique approach of French President Nicolas Sarkozy regarding the role of religion in modern... more This paper examines the unique approach of French President Nicolas Sarkozy regarding the role of religion in modern French society. After analyzing the concept of laïcité, from its origins in the French revolution to its present-day ramifications, and giving background on the Fifth Republic system in France, I then argue that Sarkozy has broken from the precedent set by his predecessors in the Fifth Republic on the topic of laïcité. I do so by discussing the records of each of his predecessors on the issue and then contrasting it with the "laïcité positif"advocated by Sarkozy. I conclude by offering an explain for Sarkozy's unconventional approach to this issue, tying it in to the larger political and religious debates occurring in France. 

Science Studies in France: A Sociological View

by Gad Freudenthal

La question prioritaire de constitutionnalité (french)

by mauro taddeo

La paternité littéraire des hérauts d'armes et les textes héraldiques. Héraut Sicile et le "Blason des couleurs en armes"

by Torsten Hiltmann

in: Maria de Lurdes Rosa, Miguel Metelo de Seixas (eds.), Estudos de Heráldica Medieval, Lisboa [accepted, forthcoming 2012].

english:
This paper aims to draw attention to the difficulties scholars encounter in trying to establish the... more english:
This paper aims to draw attention to the difficulties scholars encounter in trying to establish the authorship and the circumstances of the composition of heraldic texts. Based on the example of the famous “Blason des couleurs” treatise, commonly attributed to the herald Sicily, it shows how even seemingly clear evidence sometimes does not withstand a critical examination. It becomes even more complicated if text-immanent references to the authorship and circumstances of composition of the text are completely missing, as can be shown for the remarkable “Treatise on obsequies (and what heralds should know about it)” and especially in the case of mediaeval rolls of arms which much too often are deliberately attributed to some herald without any foundation. The paper would thus like to emphasise the specific features of the transition of heraldic texts and invite to a more critical approach to the question of their origin and authorship.

français:
L´objectif de cette contribution réside dans la volonté d´attirer l´attention sur les difficultés rencontrées par l´historien dans l´attribution correcte de la paternité littéraire et dans la classification appropriée de l´origine des textes héraldiques. À partir de l'exemple du fameux Blason des couleurs, communément attribué au héraut Sicile, nous voulons montrer comment même des preuves qui paraissent évidentes peuvent se révéler fausses après un examen critique. La recherche de la paternité littéraire est d´autant plus compliquée pour les textes qui ne contiennent pas d'indice sur leur origine – comme on peut le démontrer pour le remarquable Traité sur les obsèques (et ce que les hérauts d'armes en doivent savoir) et surtout pour les armoriaux médiévaux que l'on attribue trop volontairement à tel ou tel héraut sans disposer de preuves suffisantes, ce qui n´est pas sans conséquence pour l´interprétation de ces documents. Le propos de cet article est de démontrer la complexité du contexte de la tradition dans lequel les textes héraldiques ont pu être transmis et d´inviter à une analyse plus critique de la question de l'origine, de la transmission et particulièrement de la paternité littéraire des textes héraldiques.


deutsch:
Ziel des vorliegenden Beitrages ist es, auf die Schwierigkeiten hinzuweisen, welche die korrekte Zuordnung der Autorschaft und die angemessene Einordnung der Entstehung heraldischer Texte an den Historiker stellt. Am Beispiel des bekannten „Blason des couleurs“, der gemeinhin Herolds Sicile zugewiesen wird, soll gezeigt werden, wie selbst offenkundig eindeutige Belege einer kritischen Prüfung nicht standhalten. Umso komplizierter wird es, wenn textimmanente Hinweise auf die Autorschaft und die Umstände der Entstehung der Texte ganz fehlen, was sich besonders anhand des außergewöhnlichen Obsequientraktates (oder was Herolde darüber wissen sollten) zeigen läßt wie insbesondere anhand der Wappenbücher, die viel zu gern bestimmten Herolden zugewiesen werden, ohne daß es hierfür eine klare Beleglage gäbe. Der Beitrag möchte daher auf die Eigenheiten der Überlieferung heraldischer Texte aufmerksam machen und zu einem kritischeren Umgang mit diesen einladen.

Magnetism and Microwaves: Religion as Radiation

by Deana Weibel

In David Cave and Rebecca Sachs Norris' volume Religion and the Body: Modern Science and the Construction of Religious Meaning, 2012

http://www.brillusa.com/religion-and-body?page=5&quicktabs_brill_product_tabs=0

Recension: Bertrand BERGIER (2010), Pas très cathodique. Enquête au pays des « sans-télé »

by Ariane Beldi

Ariane Beldi , « Bertrand BERGIER (2010), Pas très cathodique. Enquête au pays des « sans-télé » », Communication [En ligne], Vol. 29/2 | 2012, mis en ligne le 31 janvier 2012.

Burqas in Back Alleys: Street Art, hijab, and the Reterritorialization of Public Space

by John A. Sweeney

The Context of Rural-Urban Relationships in Finland, France, Hungary, The Netherlands and Spain

by Javier Esparcia

Buciega, A., Pitarch, M.D., Esparcia, J. (2009): "The Context of Rural–Urban Relationships in Finland, France, Hungary, The Netherlands and Spain",
Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, Vol. 11, No. 1, March 2009, 9–27

ABSTRACT This paper presents a comprehensive view of the empirical research findings concerning rurban relationships... more ABSTRACT This paper presents a comprehensive view of the empirical research findings concerning rurban relationships in different European countries (Finland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Spain), through two types of rurban territories: those that are placed close to (or included in) a metropolitan area and those that are close to (and influenced by) an important tourist area or place. Its main aim is to show the diversity of European experiences with regard to urban pressure in this type of areas, highlighting the socio-economic and institutional contexts in explaining similarities and differences
between five countries. The results will review the various meanings of ‘rural’ and ‘rurality’ in different European contexts and how the study areas combine the characteristics of a
rural and an urban area. Moreover, we will see that urban pressure is not perceived as a negative process by many but, rather, the opposite. Further, the multi-functionality of rural areas has often implied an excessive focus on new external urban demands in detriment of enhancing other traditional functions. Given these situations, institutions do not always provide efficient responses to changing rurban areas.

Avrupa’yı Bezdiren Hayalet: Avrupa Anayasası, Bütçe Krizi ve Neoliberal Bütünleşmenin Sınırları

by Uluslararası İlişkiler

Eddie J. Girdner, "A Spectre Haunting Europe: The European Constitution, the Budget Crisis, and the Limits of Neoliberal Integration", Uluslararası İlişkiler, Cilt 2, Sayı 7 (Güz), 2005

The rejection of the European Draft Constitution by voters in France and Holland created a crisis in Europe. The... more The rejection of the European Draft Constitution by voters in France and Holland created a crisis in Europe. The dilemma, however is rooted in the deeper issues concerning democracy, neoliberalism, and the division of wealth among classes in European society. The draft constitution would have locked in the principles of neoliberalism and guaranteed rights for capital over those of citizens. Beyond the question of the lack of grass roots democracy European social welfare guarantees are threatened. Capitalist accumulation is rendered as a technical question to be determined by technocrats and business enterprises, rather than a political question at the heart of democracy. The vote against the constitution was not a vote against a united and social Europe, but against a Europe united on the basis of the American model of enshrining capitalist accumulation as the be all and end all of human endeavor. The crisis in Europe has revealed the limits to neoliberal integration in Europe.

Revitalization of Regional Languages in France Through Immersion

by James Costa

Costa, J., & Lyster, R. (2011). Revitalization of Regional Languages in France Through Immersion. Canadian Issues / Thèmes canadiens, Fall/Autom, 55-58.

To pay tribute to the contributions made by Wallace Lambert in the field of immersion education at an... more
To pay tribute to the contributions made by Wallace Lambert in the field of immersion education at an international level, this article highlights initiatives undertaken to revitalize regional languages through immersion education in France. Based on the immersion model, school-based programs have been implemented in France to teach regional languages such as Occitan, Basque, and Catalan in the south, Corsican on the island of Corsica, Breton in the northwest, and German in the eastern regions of Alsace and Moselle.
This article points out many differences across these regional contexts, but concludes by emphasizing common issues that need to be addressed across the different regions with respect to pedagogical practices and professional development.