Esta tese se debruça sobre as concepções de espaço e tempo na metrópole contemporânea, a partir do estudo etnográfico de processos de territorialização e desterritorialização de populações negras nas cidades de Caxias do Sul e Porto Alegre. Trata-se de uma investigação acerca das tramas simbólicas produzidas pelos moradores ao habitar a cidade, enfocando, nos processos de transformação urbana, a forma como se articulam identidades étnicas e como estas definem territorialidades. Em Porto Alegre, capital do Rio Grande do Sul, metrópole heterogênea de grande fragmentação identitária, são enfocadas duas comunidades remanescentes de quilombos, o Quilombo do Areal e a Família Fidelix, bem como a apropriação simbólica do Mercado Público Central pelos adeptos das religiões de matriz africana, na chamada tradição Bará do Mercado. Em Caxias do Sul, cidade marcada pela colonização italiana, o processo de crescimento urbano evidencia a presença da alteridade, através da emergência de outras identidades e distintas narrativas, trazendo à tona grupos sociais até então invisíveis. A partir da ideia da existência de uma geopolítica das populações urbanas, enfatiza-se a disputa simbólica entre grupos étnicos, em que se inserem aspectos como invisibilidade, estigmatização, afirmação e positivação de identidades. Assim, busca-se compreender como entram em jogo as identidades e memórias dos grupos afrobrasileiros em tais cidades. Nesse contexto, cabe uma preocupação com distintas escalas de análise: desde os arranjos cotidianos e sociabilidades dos grupos em suas formas de ocupação do espaço urbano aos cenários políticoinstitucionais que definem políticas de proteção à diversidade e ao patrimônio cultural do país, em que emergem temas como cidadania, nação, patrimônio, raça, etnia e classe social. / This thesis debates over the conceptions of space and time in contemporary metropolis, starting from the ethnographic research of processes of territorialization and deterritorialization within afro-descendant population’s in south Brazil, in the cities of Caxias do Sul and Porto Alegre. This is an investigation about the symbolical plots produced by the residents while inhabitants of the city, focusing, in the processes of urban renewal, the way trought which ethnic identities emerge and how it defines territorialities. In Porto Alegre - capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil - heterogeneous metropolis with great cultural fragmentation, two communities of remainders of quilombos are focused, Quilombo do Areal and Família Fidelix, as well as the symbolical appropriation of the Central Public Market by the followers of the Afro-brasillian religions, in the so-called Bará do Mercado Tradition. In Caxias do Sul, a city bounded by the Italian colonization, the process of urban transformation turns evident the presence of the alterity, through the emergence of other identities and narratives, bringing up social groups invisible until then. From the idea of the existence of a geopolitics of urban population, we look into the symbolical struggle between ethnic groups, in which invisibility, stigmatization, affirmation and positivation of identities are important aspects. In this way, we seek to understand the role that afro-brazilian group’s identities and memories plays in these cities. In this context, we are concerned with different scales of analysis: from the quotidian arranges and sociabilities of social groups in their way of occupying urban space, to the political-institutional scenario that defines politics for the protection of the nation’s diversity and cultural patrimony, in wich emerge themes as citizenship, nation, patrimony, ethnic groups, race and social class.

Esta tese se debruça sobre as concepções de espaço e tempo na metrópole contemporânea, a partir do estudo etnográfico de processos de territorialização e desterritorialização de populações negras nas cidades de Caxias do Sul e Porto Alegre. Trata-se de uma investigação acerca das tramas simbólicas produzidas pelos moradores ao habitar a cidade, enfocando, nos processos de transformação urbana, a forma como se articulam identidades étnicas e como estas definem territorialidades. Em Porto Alegre, capital do Rio Grande do Sul, metrópole heterogênea de grande fragmentação identitária, são enfocadas duas comunidades remanescentes de quilombos, o Quilombo do Areal e a Família Fidelix, bem como a apropriação simbólica do Mercado Público Central pelos adeptos das religiões de matriz africana, na chamada tradição Bará do Mercado. Em Caxias do Sul, cidade marcada pela colonização italiana, o processo de crescimento urbano evidencia a presença da alteridade, através da emergência de outras identidades e distintas narrativas, trazendo à tona grupos sociais até então invisíveis. A partir da ideia da existência de uma geopolítica das populações urbanas, enfatiza-se a disputa simbólica entre grupos étnicos, em que se inserem aspectos como invisibilidade, estigmatização, afirmação e positivação de identidades. Assim, busca-se compreender como entram em jogo as identidades e memórias dos grupos afrobrasileiros em tais cidades. Nesse contexto, cabe uma preocupação com distintas escalas de análise: desde os arranjos cotidianos e sociabilidades dos grupos em suas formas de ocupação do espaço urbano aos cenários políticoinstitucionais que definem políticas de proteção à diversidade e ao patrimônio cultural do país, em que emergem temas como cidadania, nação, patrimônio, raça, etnia e classe social. / This thesis debates over the conceptions of space and time in contemporary metropolis, starting from the ethnographic research of processes of territorialization and deterritorialization within afro-descendant population’s in south Brazil, in the cities of Caxias do Sul and Porto Alegre. This is an investigation about the symbolical plots produced by the residents while inhabitants of the city, focusing, in the processes of urban renewal, the way trought which ethnic identities emerge and how it defines territorialities. In Porto Alegre - capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil - heterogeneous metropolis with great cultural fragmentation, two communities of remainders of quilombos are focused, Quilombo do Areal and Família Fidelix, as well as the symbolical appropriation of the Central Public Market by the followers of the Afro-brasillian religions, in the so-called Bará do Mercado Tradition. In Caxias do Sul, a city bounded by the Italian colonization, the process of urban transformation turns evident the presence of the alterity, through the emergence of other identities and narratives, bringing up social groups invisible until then. From the idea of the existence of a geopolitics of urban population, we look into the symbolical struggle between ethnic groups, in which invisibility, stigmatization, affirmation and positivation of identities are important aspects. In this way, we seek to understand the role that afro-brazilian group’s identities and memories plays in these cities. In this context, we are concerned with different scales of analysis: from the quotidian arranges and sociabilities of social groups in their way of occupying urban space, to the political-institutional scenario that defines politics for the protection of the nation’s diversity and cultural patrimony, in wich emerge themes as citizenship, nation, patrimony, ethnic groups, race and social class.

As the historical text by João Cabral de Melo, even today many severinos - husbands, fathers, sons and brothers - leave the Northeast, motivated by dreams of thriving in toil and find a meaning for their existence, fleeing from a place that feels like death and going in search of another life. However, in these new times, the destination is not the city-capital, but distant and almost uninhabited regions of the country. A question arises: if to the men still remains this possibility, for the women who stay here, what is reserved? And what is expected of them? And what they expect? Through some narratives, this work aims to discuss and problematize the meetings of Severinas women, northeastern of the backlands of Sergipe, with the news and vices that the work of his men gives them and the changes it produces in the life of the place and the people. How to occupy, if they occupy, those territories and what tatics invent to better put themselves in them. How they see themselves in these places and how in them, they assign territories, between lack of the kinsman, the expectation for his return and requirements that him absence presentified. / Como no histórico poema cabralino, ainda hoje muitos Severinos - maridos, pais, filhos e irmãos - saem do Nordeste, motivados pelo sonho de prosperar na labuta e encontrar um sentido para suas existências, fugindo de um lugar como sendo de morte e indo em busca de outra vida. Porém, nesses novos tempos, o destino não é a cidade-capital, mas regiões distantes e quase inabitadas do país. Surge uma questão: se aos homens resta ainda essa possiblidade, às suas mulheres que aqui ficam, o que é reservado? E o que delas se espera? E o que elas esperam? Por meio de algumas narrativas, esse trabalho propõe discutir e problematizar os encontros de mulheres Severinas, nordestinas do sertão sergipano, com as novidades e vicissitudes que o trabalho de seus homens lhes propicia e as alterações que produz na vida do lugar e das pessoas. Como ocupam, se é que ocupam, aqueles territórios e que táticas inventam para melhor se colocarem neles. Como se enxergam nesses lugares e como neles fixam territórios, entre a falta do ente, a expectativa por seu retorno e as exigências que sua ausência presentifica.

Les Mebengôkré-Xikrin de la Terre Indigène Trincheira Bacajá (Pará, Brésil) traversent depuis peu des transformations politiques, économiques et écologiques sans précédents. Celles-ci sont liées, entre autres, à la mise en place de l’usine hydroélectrique de Belo Monte et aux projets de compensation qui l’accompagnent. Parmi les impacts une réduction du régime hydrique de leur rivière Bacajá, ayant pour conséquence une érosion de la biodiversité et une atteinte à leurs mobilité et autonomie dans leur rapport aux Autres. Dans ce contexte, ma thèse se donne pour objectif d’analyser la manière dont les Xikrin conçoivent et pratiquent actuellement leur territorialité en même temps qu’ils s’affirment et se reproduisent Mebengôkré, et ce, dans une profondeur historique permise par la littérature et les discours des Anciens. À la croisée entre l’anthropologie sociale et l’anthropologie de l’environnement, cette recherche s’inscrit dans la continuité des travaux récents sur la socio-spatialité qui ont entamé une révision de l’idée de fermeture imputée aux sociétés Jê et aux Mebengôkré en particulier. L’hypothèse est que les conceptions et pratiques de l’espace vécu par les Xikrin sont guidées par le rapport à l’Autre : les Kuben (les Blancs), les Mẽkarõ (les morts) et les animaux et végétaux peuplant les espaces extra et intravillageois. La thèse est structurée en suivant une analyse à trois échelles, de la plus large à la plus étroite : de la région comprise entre le Brésil Central et la Volta Grande do Xingu jusqu’au village, en passant par les lieux explorés de la Terre Indigène Trincheira Bacajá. L’analyse proposée permet de comprendre comment les Xikrin se sont constitués comme un collectif à part des autres Mebengôkré, en s’appropriant l’espace que constitue aujourd’hui la Terre Indigène Trincheira Bacajá, dans leur migration et dispersion à travers les scissions successives depuis leur sédentarisation. Cette thèse met finalement en évidence que les Xikrin, originaires d’un écosystème de savane, ont non seulement développé un rapport singulier avec la ville mais également avec les mondes de la forêt et de la rivière d’une région tropicale. Ainsi, les conclusions remettent en question la représentation dualiste concentrique de la socio-spatialité Xikrin, en permettant d’envisager les espaces extravillageois et leurs habitants non comme simplement asociaux et potentiellement socialisables mais au contraire comme ayant également un rôle dans la (re)production des personnes Mebengôkré et de la socialité Xikrin, notamment par l’apprentissage et l’appropriation d’éléments de ces espaces. / The Mebengôkré-Xikrin of the Trincheira Bacajá Indigenous Land (Pará, Brazil) have recently undergone unprecedented political, economic and ecological transformations. These are caused, among other things, by the establishment of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam and by the compensation projects that accompany it. Among the impacts, the reduction of the hydric regime of their Bacajá river, resulting in an erosion of thebiodiversity and an infringement of their mobility and autonomy in their relationship to the Others. In this context, this thesis aims to analyse how the Xikrin conceive and practice their territoriality as they assert themselves and reproduce as Mebengôkré, and this, in a historical depth allowed by the literature and the speeches of the Ancients. At the crossroads between social anthropology and anthropology of the environment, this research is a continuation of recent work on socio-spatiality that has begun a revision of the idea of closure attributed to the Jê societies and to the Mebengôkré in particular. The hypothesis is that the conceptions and practices of the space lived by the Xikrin are guided by the relation to the Other: the Kuben (the Whites), the Mẽkarõ (the dead) and the animals and plants populating the extra and intra villagers.The thesis is structured according to a three-scale analysis, from the widest to the narrowest: from the region between Central Brazil and the Volta Grande do Xingu to the village, passing through the explored places of the Trincheira Bacajá Indigenous Land. The proposed analysis permits to understand how the Xikrin emerged as a collective apart from the other Mebengôkré, by appropriating the space that today constitutes their territory, in their migration and dispersion through the successive splits since their settlement. This thesis finally shows that the Xikrin, originated from a savanna ecosystem, have not only developed a singular relationship with the city but also with the forest and the rivers of a tropical region. Thus, the conclusions put into question the concentric dual representation of the Xikrin socio-spatiality, allowing to consider the extra villagers spaces and their inhabitants not as simply asocial and potentially socializable but, on the contrary, as being socializing, that is to say also having a role in the (re)production of Mebengôkré people and Xikrin sociality, in particular by learning and appropriating elements of these spaces. / Os Mebengôkré-Xikrin da Terra Indígena Trincheira Bacajá (Pará, Brasil) atravessam recentemente mudanças políticas, económicas e ecológicas sem precedentes, devido, entre outras razões, ao estabelecimento da usina hidrelétrica de Belo Monte e aos projetos de "compensação" que a acompanham. Entre os impactos, estão a redução do regime hídrico do rio Bacajá, que resultou em uma perda de biodiversidade e que mina a sua mobilidade e autonomia em sua relação com o Outro. Neste contexto, esta tese tem o objetivo de analisar como os Xikrin concebem e praticam atualmente sua territorialidade ao mesmo tempo que se afirmam e se reproduzem enquanto Mebengôkré, e isso a partir de uma profundidade histórica permitida pela literatura e pelos discursos dos Antigos. No cruzamento entre a antropologia social e antropologia do ambiente, esta pesquisa se coloca em continuidade aos recentes trabalhos sobre a sócio-espacialidade que iniciaram uma revisão da ideia de fechamento imputada às sociedades Jê e aos Mebengôkré em particular. O pressuposto é que as concepções e práticas singulares do espaço vivido pelos Xikrin são guiados principalmente pela relação com o Outro: os Kuben (os brancos), os Mẽkarõ (os mortos) e os animais e plantas que habitam os espaços extra e intra aldeões.A tese está estruturada seguindo uma análise em três escalas, da mais ampla à mais restrita : da região entre o Brasil Central e a Volta Grande do Xingu até a aldeia, passando pelos espaços extra aldeões explorados na Terra Indígena Trincheira Bacajá. A análise proposta permite entender como os Xikrin se constituíram em um coletivo distinto, apropriando-se finalmente do espaço que constitui hoje a Terra Indígena Trincheira Bacajá, na sua migração e dispersão através das cisões sucessivas desde a sua sedentarizarão. Esta tese destaca que os Xikrin, originários de um ecossistema de savana, não só desenvolveram uma relação singular com a cidade, mas também com os mundos da floresta e dos rios de uma região tropical. Assim, as conclusões colocam em questão a representação dualista concêntrica da sócio-espacialidade dos Xikrin e permitem considerar os espaços extra aldeões e seus habitantes não simplesmente como associais e potencialmente socializáveis, mas também como elementos socializantes, com um papel a desempenhar na (re)produção das pessoas Mebengôkré e na socialidade Xikrin, em particular pela aprendizagem e pela apropriação de componentes desses espaços.

The new fact that the environment is becoming the main factor of geopolitical transformations in the Arctic region has been triggered mainly by climate change. In the North, this recent aspect of geopolitics, in correlation with the environment, leads sometimes to tensions between countries, but also to a need for cooperation. The question brought by such conditions is, to which extent will this climate change provoke cooperation or conflicts between the Arctic states. The purpose of addressing the problem is to understand what kind of challenges would be facing the international relations between circumpolar countries and how the environment is playing a geopolitical role in them. The objective of the main research question is to assess the importance of climate change over the geopolitics of the Arctic through several spheres of geopolitics: environment and bio-diversity, economic activity of the region, sovereignty and territoriality, security of the circumpolar states, and international and diplomatic relations. The trans-border and transnational nature of environmental issues is another important factor, since nature does not respect human-made boundaries and an environmental concern, such as climate change and its aftermaths, cannot be exclusive to a state along the lines of its borders.

The number of border barriers has increased rapidly in the last decades. These barriers appeared between the wealthy and the poor, between the stable and those ridden by civil wars, between traditional military rivals and even between partners in the integration process. This suggests that a complex theory is necessary to explain the phenomenon of border barrier building. The presented work aims to provide an answer to the question of why states build border barriers by the use of Schmitt's theory of state based on nomos, sovereignty and political unity in interaction with globalization. This theory served as a framework for establishing the independent variables, namely challenges to land-appropriation, challenges to sovereignty from military threat, challenges to sovereignty from cross-border ethnic group, challenges to political unity from irregular mass migration and finally challenges to political unity from terrorism. These were then tested using regression analysis with number of border barriers constructed by a state serving as a dependent variable. The results suggest that states that often face challenges to land-appropriation, to sovereignty coming from politicised cross-border ethnic groups and to political unity from irregular mass migration build more border barriers than those that...

Abstract Between October 1999 and October 2003, 30 adult and 48 young (< 1 year) raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) were monitored using radio-telemetry in an area of Germany which has been occupied by this invasive alien species since the early 1990s. Additionally, three pairs of raccoon dogs were observed by continuous radio-tracking during the first six weeks after parturition in 2003. Furthermore 136 raccoon dog pubs were ear-tagged between June 1999 and August 2006. No adult animals dispersed from the area during the study period and home ranges tended to be used for several years, probably for life. The average annual home range size, calculated using 95% fixed kernel, was 382.2 ha ± 297.4 SD for females (n = 30 seasonal home ranges) and 352.4 ha ± 313.3 SD for males (n = 32 seasonal home ranges). Paired raccoon dogs had home ranges of similar size, with pair sharing the same area all year round. Raccoon dogs occupied large core areas (85% kernel) covering 81.2% of their home ranges. The home ranges were at their smallest during the mating season. The slightly larger size of home ranges in winter suggests that, due to the temperate climate, raccoon dogs do not hibernate in Germany. Males and females formed a long-term (probably lifelong) pair bond. Same-sex neighbours ignored each other and even adjacent males/females showed neither preference nor avoidance. Thus, it can be assumed that the raccoon dog in Central Europe is monogamous without exclusive territories, based on the results of home range overlap analysis and interaction estimations. Habitat composition within home ranges and within the whole study area was almost equal. Although, percentage shares of farmland and meadow was 16.35% smaller and 12.06% higher within the home ranges, respectively. All nine habitat types (farmland, forest, settlement, water, meadows, maize fields, small woods, reeds and hedges) were used opportunistically by raccoon dogs. No significant, recognisable difference for habitat preferences between seasons was detected. Male and female raccoon dog showed equal habitat preference pattern. A comparison of active and inactive locations in different habitats found no remarkable differences. Habitat composition of individual home ranges was used to classify animals. If the percentage of forest within a home range exceeded 50% the individual was classified as a ‘forest type’ raccoon dog. If the percentage of forest habitats within a home range was less than 5%, the share of pastureland was mean 81.82% ± 16.92 SD. Consequently the individual was classified as a ‘agrarian type’ raccoon dog. Neither habitat preference nor habitat selection process differed between the two ‘types’. Habitat use and preference is discussed with relation to the ability of the raccoon dog to expand its range towards Western Europe. Males spent noticeably more time (40.5% of the time ±11.7 SD) alone with the pups than females (16.4% of the time ±8.5 SD). Females had noticeably larger 95% kernel home ranges (98.24 ha ±51.71 SD) than males (14.73 ha ±8.16 SD) and moved much longer daily distances (7,368 m ±2,015 SD) than males (4,094 m ±2,886 SD) in six weeks postpartum. The raccoon dogs being studied left the breeding den in the 6th week after the birth of the pups. In situ video observation showed that the male carried prey to the den to provide the female and the litter with food. A clear division of labour took place among parents during the period in which the pups were nursed: males guarded the litter in the den or in close vicinity of it, while the females foraged to satisfy their increased energy requirements. There were relocations of 59 (43.4%) ear-tagged young racoon dogs and mean distance from marking point was 13.5 km ±20.1 SD. Dispersal mortality rate was 69.5% among young raccoon dogs. Most animals (55.9%) were recovered nearer than 5 km from the marking point, whereas only 8.5% relocations were recorded further than 50 km from the marking point. There was no difference in the distances of relocations between sexes. Most (53.7%) relocations of ear-tagged young raccoon dogs were in August and September and, only 34.1% were recorded from October to April. Hunting (55 %) and traffic (27 %) were the major mortality factors. Radio-collared young raccoon dogs generally dispersed between July and September. The mean natal home range size (MCP 100%) with and without excursions was 502.6 ha ±66.4 SD (n = 9) and 92.1 ha ±66.4 SD (n = 17), respectively. There were no differences between sexes in the month of dispersal. The direction of travel for dispersing animals appeared to be random, with distances from 0.5 km to 91.2 km. A highly flexible dispersing behaviour is certainly one of the reasons which contribute to the high expansion success of the species.

Between October 1999 and October 2003, 30 adult and 48 young (< 1 year) raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) were monitored using radio-telemetry in an area of North-East Germany which has been occupied by this invasive alien species since the early 1990s. Additionally, three pairs of raccoon dogs were observed by continuous radio-tracking during the first six weeks after parturition in 2003. Furthermore 136 raccoon dog pubs were ear-tagged between June 1999 and August 2006. No adult animals dispersed from the area during the study period and home ranges tended to be used for several years, probably for life. The average annual home range size, calculated using 95% fixed kernel, was 382.2 ha ± 297.4 SD for females (n = 30 seasonal home ranges) and 352.4 ha ± 313.3 SD for males (n = 32 seasonal home ranges). Paired raccoon dogs had home ranges of similar size, with pair mates sharing the same area all year round. Raccoon dogs occupied large core areas (85% kernel) covering 81.2% of their home ranges. The home ranges were at their smallest during the mating season. The slightly larger size of home ranges in winter suggests that, due to the temperate climate, raccoon dogs do not hibernate in Germany. Males and females formed a long-term (probably lifelong) pair bond. Same-sex neighbours ignored each other and even adjacent males/females showed neither preference nor avoidance. Thus, it can be assumed that the raccoon dog in Central Europe is monogamous without exclusive territories, based on the results of home range overlap analysis and interaction estimations. Habitat composition within home ranges and within the whole study area was almost equal. Although, percentage shares of farmland and meadow was 16.35% smaller and 12.06% higher within the home ranges, respectively. All nine habitat types (farmland, forest, settlement, water, meadows, maize fields, small woods, reeds and hedges) were used opportunistically by raccoon dogs. No significant, recognisable difference for habitat preferences between seasons was detected. Male and female raccoon dog showed equal habitat preference pattern. A comparison of active and inactive locations in different habitats found no remarkable differences. Habitat composition of individual home ranges was used to classify animals. If the percentage of forest within a home range exceeded 50% the individual was classified as a ‘forest type’ raccoon dog. If the percentage of forest habitats within a home range was less than 5%, the share of pastureland was mean 81.82% ± 16.92 SD. Consequently the individual was classified as a ‘agrarian type’ raccoon dog. Neither habitat preference nor habitat selection process differed between the two ‘types’. Habitat use and preference is discussed with relation to the ability of the raccoon dog to expand its range towards Western Europe. Males spent noticeably more time (40.5% of the time ±11.7 SD) alone with the pups than females (16.4% of the time ±8.5 SD). Females had noticeably larger 95% kernel home ranges (98.24 ha ±51.71 SD) than males (14.73 ha ±8.16 SD) and moved much longer daily distances (7,368 m ±2,015 SD) than males (4,094 m ±2,886 SD) in six weeks postpartum. The raccoon dogs being studied left the breeding den in the 6th week after the birth of the pups. In situ video observation showed that the male carried prey to the den to provide the female and the litter with food. A clear division of labour took place among parents during the period in which the pups were nursed: males guarded the litter in the den or in close vicinity of it, while the females foraged to satisfy their increased energy requirements. There were relocations of 59 (43.4%) ear-tagged young raccoon dogs and mean distance from marking point was 13.5 km ±20.1 SD. Dispersal mortality rate was 69.5% among young raccoon dogs. Most animals (55.9%) were recovered nearer than 5 km from the marking point, whereas only 8.5% relocations were recorded further than 50 km from the marking point. There was no difference in the distances of relocations between sexes. Most (53.7%) relocations of ear-tagged young raccoon dogs were in August and September and, only 34.1% were recorded from October to April. Hunting (55 %) and traffic (27 %) were the major mortality factors. Radiocollared young raccoon dogs generally dispersed between July and September. The mean natal home range size (MCP 100%) with and without excursions was 502.6 ha ±66.4 SD (n = 9) and 92.1 ha ±66.4 SD (n = 17), respectively. There were no differences between sexes in the month of dispersal. The direction of travel for dispersing animals appeared to be random, with distances from 0.5 km to 91.2 km. A highly flexible dispersing behaviour is certainly one of the reasons which contribute to the high expansion success of the species.

L’aéroport est un objet géographique protéiforme, caractérisé par son « obsolescence accélérée » (BANHAM, 1962). Depuis les années 1990, son ultime mutation s’articule autour d’un processus de diversification fonctionnelle engendré par l’injection d’activités nouvelles, parfois éloignées du transport aérien, dans l’objectif d’accroître les profits et la rentabilité de l’infrastructure dans un contexte de privatisation généralisée. Cette évolution concerne les plus grands hubs mondiaux, notamment Paris-CDG, quatrième aéroport du monde selon le trafic passagers international. Cette tendance, qui a donné naissance au concept opérationnel d’airport city, tel qu’il est désigné par les observateurs et opérateurs anglo-saxons, attise doublement la curiosité géographique. En premier lieu, parce qu’elle interroge la fonction première de l’infrastructure de transport qu’est l’aéroport, qui devient alors un objet spatial non identifié qu’il convient de redéfinir. En second lieu, parce que cette désignation d’airport city, traduite par les opérateurs francophones par ville aéroportuaire, interroge la ville et surtout ce qui fait la ville dans ses dimensions matérielle et idéelle, c’est-à-dire l’urbanité et la citadinité. Suffit-il d’injecter des fonctions urbaines dans un espace pour en faire de la ville ? La ville aéroportuaire n’est-elle qu’une ville fonctionnelle ? En s’efforçant d’évaluer la pertinence géographique de la notion d’airport city, cette thèse impose de faire de l’urbanité et de la citadinité des concepts opératoires afin de les confronter au terrain aéroportuaire. Elle s’efforce également de replacer l’aéroport au centre de l’étude géographique en proposant un ajustement de l’échelle d’observation à l’ensemble de la zone aéroportuaire, évitant ainsi la synecdoque particularisante réduisant l’aéroport au terminal. Dans l’évaluation de la citadinité, elle a également pour objectif de saisir les spatialités de l’ensemble de la société aéroportuaire (passagers, employés, accompagnants, SDF, etc.). / Airports are protean geographical objects characterized by their « accelerated obsolescence » (BANHAM, 1962). Since the 1990s, their final transformation has been structured around a process of functional diversification engendered by new activities, which are sometimes very different from air transport, in order to increase the infrastructures’ profits and profitability in a context of widespread privatization. The world’s largest hub airports are concerned by this evolution, especially the Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport, the world’s fourth busiest airport by international passenger traffic. This trend, which has given birth to the operational concept of airport city, as the Anglo-Saxon operators and observers call it, stirs up the geographical curiosity in two ways. Firstly, it questions the primary function of airports, which become unidentified spatial objects that need to be redefined. Secondly, the concept of airport city questions the city itself. Indeed, what makes a city a city on a material (urbanity) and conceptual (“citadinity”) level? Can a space with urban functions be considered as a city? Is the airport city only a functional city? By assessing the geographical relevance of the concept of airport city, this thesis aims at making the concepts of urbanity and “citadinity” operational concepts, so as to compare them with the airport ground. By adjusting the observation scale to the whole airport area, it also replaces the airport at the centre of the geographical study. Thus, the airport is not simply viewed as a terminal. Finally, this thesis aims at understanding the whole airport society’s spatiality (passengers, employees, accompanying people, homeless people…) by assessing the concept of “citadinity".