Abstract This study outlines a reading of Saramago’s novels as tracing a reflective itinerary into history, questioning the modalities informing a contemporary consciousness, thus acknowledging and re–configuring the past. Through an interpretation of these narratives as ‘voyages into the idea of identity’ it is shown that they reveal a symmetrical pattern tracing the Portuguese national saga from its foundation myth in The History of the Siege of Lisbon to contemporary images of identity in The Stone Raft. In light of this, the analysis examines the subversive narrative strategies employed with regard to the interrogation of canonized historical facts that led to the construction of Portuguese cultural memory and identity. Although the discussion is particularly located within Portuguese texts, the issues raised are relevant within the broader context of Western civilization. It is argued that, within his fictional discourse, Saramago aims at a reformulation of the notion of identity, highlighting the importance of preserving and actively affirming one’s individuality. Drawing on the postmodern perspective of pluralism in the reconstruction of the past, this analysis explores the relationship between history, fiction, memory and identity as reflected in the narratives under discussion. The focus will be on the textual nature of historiography as well as on the relative character of memory, aspects suggesting the irretrievable nature of the past and the necessity of using various acts of supplementation, construction and invention when representing it. Furthermore, the dialogue between Saramago’s fictional canvass and the theoretical framework, drawing on the thinking of critics such as Hayden White, David Lowenthal, Tzvetan Todorov, Linda Hutcheon, is intended to situate Saramago’s stance viz–à-viz the truthfulness of historiography within the contemporary preoccupation with the representation and construction of the past with an eye to reflecting present needs.

Cette thèse établit la conditionnalité de la performance urbanistique à une réforme totale. Elle révèle un syndrome d'inefficacité générale dont le traitement des symptômes est indispensable à un tel objectif. Le spectre des symptômes inclut principalement les missions publiques problématiques, les principes et modèles de base inadéquats, une législation d'urbanisme incompatible avec les objectifs de performance urbanistique, ainsi que les pratiques déviantes ou anarchiques d'aménagement et d'équipements publics. Cette thèse montre en outre l'état de délaissement de nombreux aspects d'urbanisme au libre-arbitre des personnes privées et des organisations non gouvernementales. Les hypothèses de solutions proposées englobent un remodelage total des structures de gouvernance publique, un réglage du droit de l'urbanisme sur une théorie de performance la moins altérable possible, l'édification des préalables théoriques et structurels de la performance, ainsi qu'une réforme spécifique porteuse de la performance du droit de l'urbanisme. Cette thèse identifie divers exemples de performance susceptibles de participer au processus de cette réforme et présente une démarche méthodologique de théorisation et de mise en œuvre d'un tel droit de l'urbanisme en Haïti. Elle explique, de plus, les énormes défis de la performance de ce droit par rapport au système politique et juridique. On y trouve aussi plusieurs propositions pour le relèvement de ces défis, pour la résorption des divers obstacles identifiés, ainsi que pour l'établissement d'un système global de performance apte à porter durablement celle du droit de l'urbanisme. / This thesis establishes the conditionality of an urban planning and development performance upon a comprehensive reform in Haiti. It highlights a general inefficiency syndrome whose treatment is essential for such purpose. The range of symptoms mainly comprises problematic government tasks, inadequate basic models and principles, an urban planning law incompatible with objectives in terms of urban planning and development performance, along with anarchic and deviant practices in development and public facilities. Furthermore, this thesis outlines the state of many aspects of urban planning left to the free will of private individuals and non-governmental organizations. Hypotheses of solutions involve a complete remodeling of public governance structures, an urban planning adjusted upon a performing theory as little alterable as possible, some well-made theoretical and structural prerequisites of performance, as well as a specific reform promising a performing urban planning law. This thesis also identifies various performance examples likely to participate in this reform process and presents a theorization and implementation methodological approach of such an urban planning law in Haiti. It also explains the tremendous challenges for the performing urban planning law in relation to the political and legal system. Several propositions are included aimed at answering various challenges, removing a number of identified barriers and establishing a global management system suitable for accomplishing sustainable performance in urban planning law.