La présente thèse vise à étudier deux différentes modalités de contestation de l'imaginaire dominant, à travers l'analyse des actions directes du mouvement FEMEN et des performances issues de la démarche post-porn. Ces deux démarches contestataires mettent en exergue et questionnent, chacune à leur manière, la sexualisation des corps, inhérente à certains schèmes de l'imaginaire dominant : les FEMEN la refusent ; la démarche post-porn propose d'autres façons de sexualiser les corps. Une comparaison approfondie de modes d'action des FEMEN et des acteur-ice-s de la scène post-porn implique de s'intéresser à deux façons différentes de retravailler les imaginaires sexuels dominants et de re-signifier les corps féminins, trans et/ou non hétérosexuels. A partir de la sexualisation des corps, je montre comment le regard sur les corps est verrouillé, structuré par un imaginaire traversé par les rapports de pouvoir : il y a des façons hégémoniques de raconter les corps des dominant.e.s et des dominé.e.s. En essaimant dans le monde social, les scripts corporels, ces fictions forgées par les logiques de domination, structurent le regard sur les corps, les pratiques corporelles et les interactions sociales. Mais ce verrouillage du regard contient en lui-même les conditions de son déverrouillage. Ce sont des modalités de ce déverrouillage qui seront interrogées, à travers les actions des FEMEN et des activistes post-porn. Proposer des narrations alternatives de corps déverrouille-t-il le regard sur les corps ? Quel rapport ces démarches contestataires entretiennent-elles aux fictions hégémoniques ? / This thesis aims to study two different approaches which dissent from the dominant imaginary, through the analysis of the FEMEN movement’s direct actions and performances derived from the post-porn approach. Both dissenting approaches highlight and question, each in their own way, the sexualization of bodies, which is inherent to certain schema of the dominant imaginary: the FEMEN movement refuses it, while the post-porn approach offers other ways of sexualizing the body. An in-depth comparison of FEMEN's modes of action with those of the actors and actresses of the post-porn scene entails engagement with two different ways of re-working the notion of dominant sexual imaginaries, and also the re-signification of trans and/or non-heterosexual female bodies. Starting from the sexualization of bodies, I show how the way we look at bodies is locked in, structured by an imaginary shaped by power relationships: there are hegemonic ways to narrate the bodies of the dominant and the dominated. By disseminating themselves into the social world, corporal scripts – these fictions created through logics of domination – shape the way we look at bodies, corporal practices and social interactions. However, this locking in of the gaze contains in itself the conditions of its own unlocking. These modes of unlocking will be questioned through the prism of actions by FEMEN and post-porn activists. Does suggesting alternative body narrations unlock the gaze brought to bear on the body? What relation do these dissenting approaches have with hegemonic fictions?

Malgré leur position défavorable dans les hiérarchies du pouvoir, les jeunesjouent un rôle majeur dans les processus de changement sociopolitique qui ontcours dans la société burkinabè. Ce groupe social semble alors constituer un outilefficace d’analyse du politique et, plus précisément, des rapports de contestation etde domination qui sont à l’oeuvre au Burkina Faso. En effet, les jeunes développentde multiples stratégies d’inscription dans l’espace public qui constituent, à desdegrés et selon des modalités différentes, des formes de contestation de l’ordrepolitique. Ainsi, en nous appuyant sur trois catégories de jeunesse (les étudiantssyndiqués, les jeunes des rues et les jeunes rappeurs ou adeptes de hip-hop), nousavons cherché à interroger, dans une perspective diachronique, la nature desrapports de domination à l’oeuvre dans la société burkinabè. Nous constatons quela portée limitée de ces formes de contestation de l’ordre établi s’explique engrande partie par le contexte hégémonique dans lequel elles s’inscrivent. Ainsi, lesressorts de la domination caractéristiques de l’ordre politique actuel reposent,selon nous, sur une « politique de la médiation » et sur une stratégie de« cooptation néo-patrimoniale » qui permettent le désamorçage des tensions et lerèglement des conflits, selon des procédures bien précises, avec pour objectif lapréservation de l’image consensuelle de l’ordre politique. Ces deux dimensionsconstituent, selon nous, les piliers d’une « culture politique » qui irradie unemultitude d’espaces sociaux et qui permet un échange médiatisé et permanent entredirigeants et dirigés. / In spite of their unfavourable position in the hierarchies of power, youngpeople play a major role in the processes of social political change, which occur inthe Burkina Faso society. Hence, this social group seems to be a good instrumentto efficiently analyse policy, and moreover the processes of contestation anddomination at work in Burkina Faso. Indeed, young people develop numerousstrategies carried out in public places, which to varying degrees and termsconstitute forms of contestation against the political order. Thus by relying onthree categories of youth (unionised students, street youth, and young rappers orfollowers of the hip-hop movement), we sought to examine in a diachronicperspective, the nature of relationships of dominance at work in the Burkina Fasosociety. We find that the limited impact of these forms of contestations against theestablished order can be largely explained by the hegemonic context in which theyarise. Therefore, in our mind, the characteristic domination of the current politicalorder are based on “the strategies of mediation” and “neo-patrimonial cooptation”,which diffuse tensions and regulate conflicts, according to very precise procedures,with the aim to preserve the consensual image of the political culture. In ouropinion, these two dimensions constitute the pillars of a “political culture”, whichspreads out from a multitude of social spaces and creates a permanent, mediatisedexchange between rulers and those who are ruled.

Dans ce travail, nous posons d’abord la question de la légitimité de la contestation internationale. En partant de la conception libérale de la souveraineté étatique, nous montrons que la contestation internationale pourrait être critiquée pour l’interférence qu’elle crée entre des acteurs étrangers. Pour défendre la légitimité de la contestation, nous argumentons en faveur de la position républicaine de Philip Pettit selon laquelle la souveraineté étatique ne devrait pas être comprise comme une absence d’interférence, mais plutôt comme une absence de domination. En montrant que les problèmes environnementaux peuvent être compris en tant que domination écologique, nous tentons alors de démontrer que la contestation internationale ne pose pas nécessairement problème pour la souveraineté des États, mais qu’au contraire, celle-ci peut servir protection contre d’éventuels cas de domination. Dans la seconde partie du travail, nous explorons la question de la légitimité des moyens de contestation utilisés par les activistes. En conservant les idées de Pettit concernant la domination, nous prenons toutefois nos distances par rapport à cet auteur et sa conception délibérative de la contestation. Nous amorcerons finalement la réflexion dans le but de trouver des critères pouvant légitimer certains recours à des moyens de contestation plus radicaux. Nous défendons notamment une position originale, voulant que la contestation soit comprise en continuité avec la délibération plutôt qu’en rupture avec celle-ci. / In this paper, we first study the case of international activism’s legitimacy. Accordinging to the liberal sovereignty principal, we show that it could be a problem to allow activists to protest on the international stage, as this would create a form of interference against the ones they target. But as we consider that the political pressure of interest groups is necessary to face major problems like the environmental issues, it seems important to us to advocate their work at the global level. To offer a defense of international activism, we base our position on the republican ideas of Philip Pettit for whom, political freedom would not be a non-interference, but a non-domination. After showing that some environmental issues can be understood as domination issues, we argue that international activism is not a necessarily a problem for the State’s sovereignty, but that it offers a protection against some form of ecological domination. In the second half of this paper, we study the legitimacy of the different means of pressure the activists can use to protest. As we keep the idea of freedom as non-domination, we will take our distances from Pettit’s thought of political contestatory. After criticizing the ideas of the deliberative democrats, we will initiate the reflection to find some new criterions that would legitimate some more radical means of pressure like direct actions and civil disobedience. We also offer an original thesis by suggesting that activism and deliberation should not be understood as opposites but rather as a continuum.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

A discussão contemporânea sobre a organização de uma sociedade política que estabeleça princípios normativos visando à legitimação do Estado de direito está no epicentro da fundamentação das teorias de democracia deliberativa. Assim, indagaremos sobre a estruturação de mecanismos constitucionais que possibilitem o exercício dos direitos políticos para a formação da opinião pública. A tese a ser defendida é que há pontos problemáticos na teoria deliberativa de Habermas que dificultam a sua aplicação na práxis social. O que observamos é a necessidade do estabelecimento de mecanismos para a defesa dos cidadãos perante a forma instrumental por meio da qual os sistemas sociais operam na sociedade capitalista tardia. Por isso, com o auxílio da teoria de democracia contestatória e a concepção de liberdade republicana, apresentadas por Pettit, almejamos salvaguardar os princípios discursivos da teoria habermasiana de democracia e, ao mesmo tempo, possibilitar uma ampliação no processo de reconstrução normativa e discursiva do Estado democrático de direito. A teoria republicana de liberdade como não-dominação nos oferece um estratagema para escapar da aporia na qual as teorias contemporâneas de democracia deliberativa encontram-se aprisionadas, em particular, no que se refere à finalidade de equilibrar a força de legitimação do poder comunicativo e a sua influência na formatação do aparelho administrativo-estatal. / The contemporary discussion on the organization of a political society to establish normative principles aimed at legitimizing the rule of law is at the epicenter of the grounds of deliberative democracy theories. Therefore, we inquire on structuring constitutional mechanisms that enable the exercise of political rights for the formation of public opinion. The thesis to be defended is that there are trouble spots in the deliberative theory of Habermas that hinder their implementation in social praxis. What we observe is the need to establish mechanisms for the protection of citizens before the instrumental means by which social system operate in late capitalist society. Therefore, with the help of contestatory democracy theory and the design of republican liberty, presented by Pettit, we aim to safeguard the discursive principles of Habermas\' theory of democracy and at the same time, enabling an expansion in the process of normative and discursive reconstruction of the democratic state of law. The republican theory of freedom as non-domination gives us a ploy to escape quandary in which contemporary theories of deliberative democratic are trapped in particular as regards the purpose of balancing the legitimacy under power communicative and their influence in shaping the administrative-state apparatus.

Etude sociologique des émeutes en Algérie, perspectives comparatistesCette thèse s’intéresse à l’étude sociologique des émeutes en Algérie. Pour ce faire, Elle tente de comprendre les mécanismes qui président au déclenchement de l’émeute. Cela passe d’abord par une interrogation sur les liens que peut entretenir l’émeute avec les différents contextes, puis par une proposition d’une perspective comparatiste entre les émeutes algériennes et françaises. Ce travail de recherche s’interroge sur les facteurs distinctifs qui expliquent la singularité des émeutes en Algérie, en accordant une attention particulière aux « répertoires d’actions » (Tilly et Tarrow, 2008) qui ont été utilisés par les jeunes émeutiers. Il s’agit aussi de s’intéresser aux questionnements sur la nature de système politique algérien et son rôle dans le déclenchement de l’émeute, ainsi que les conditions sociales favorables au passage à l’action émeutière. Cette étude sur la sociologie des émeutes se situe au carrefour de la sociologie et de la sociohistoire en s’appuyant à la fois sur des analyses qualitative et quantitative. Ce travail est axé sur des entrevues qualitatives menées en grande partie avec des jeunes. À cela se sont ajoutés des entretiens menés avec d’autres différents acteurs et ce, dans l’objectif de compléter notre enquête.Cette étude montre que le contexte politique occupe une grande place dans l’émergence de ce phénomène social qui est l’émeute. Celle-ci tire son origine dans la frustration ressentie par la jeunesse Algérienne au même titre que dans la fermeture du champ politique et la nature autoritaire de l’État algérien. Cette étude a mis en rapport l’émeute et le malaise social découlant d’abord d’un processus structuré, qui commence par la paupérisation et la précarisation des classes populaires. Ces émeutes ne sont pas détachées du contexte social et de cette « frustration relative » (Gurr, 1970 ; Corcuff, 2009). / Sociological study of riots in Algeria, comparative perspectives.This thesis deals with a sociological study about riots in Algeria. To do this, it seeks the comprehension of mechanisms that cause riots. It starts with questioning the links between riots and different contexts, and then it ends with a proposition of a comparison between riots in Algeria and France. This research paper tends to find out the distinguishing factors which explain the particularity of riots in Algeria through taking into account a special attention to “events repertory” (Tilly and Tarrow, 2008) that has been used by the rioters. It’s also a matter of questioning the nature of the Algerian political system and its role in the breaking up of these riots; as well as the social conditions that helped riots to break out.This sociological study of riots can be found between that of sociological history and sociology focusing on both quantitative and qualitative analyses. This work is based on qualitative interviews made mainly with young people. In addition to other interviews made with different categories of people for the purpose to end our investigation.This paper shows that the political context takes a great part in the emergence of this social phenomenon which is riot. This latter takes its origin from the deep frustration felt by the Algerian youth as well as the absence of political participation and the authoritarian nature of the Algerian political system.This study has put an emphasis on the relationship between riots and social difficulties resulted first from a structured process, and which begins with the pauperization and insecurity of the popular classes. These riots are not separated from the social context and what is called as “a relative frustration” (Gurr, 1970; Corcuff, 2009).

Au cours de la période des longues années soixante, le Royaume-Uni fut traversé par un cycle de contestation lors duquel différents groupes de militants firent valoir un large éventail de revendications. Un certain nombre de similarités peut être observé dans leurs idéologies, leurs tactiques et leurs symboles, comme par exemple leur volonté de lutter pour leur « libération » de « l’oppression » impérialiste, paternaliste, raciste, sexiste, homophobe ou même de délivrer les animaux de la domination humaine. Ces similitudes suscitent logiquement de nombreuses questions, notamment les suivantes : comment expliquer ces parallèles ? Quels sont les liens qui ont rendu possible la diffusion de ces éléments ? Dans quelle mesure la diffusion a-t-elle contribué à l’évolution de la contestation dans les longues années soixante au Royaume-Uni ? Afin d’y répondre, cette thèse s’efforcera d’analyser séparément les différents mouvements sociaux de la période, en accordant une importance particulière à leurs interactions et à leurs rôles au sein du cycle. En fournissant un modèle aux groupes de militants qui l’adaptent ensuite à leur propre cause, les processus de diffusion viennent nourrir et amplifier la dynamique protestataire. Il ne s’agit donc pas d’un simple phénomène de mimétisme, mais d’un procédé créatif témoignant d’activités complexes de construction du sens. Le choix de la source d’inspiration est également très significatif, d’autant plus que celle-ci peut se situer dans un autre pays ou une autre époque. Ainsi, il conviendra de démontrer que la diffusion peut opérer de manière diachronique au sein d’un même territoire, comme de manière synchronique lorsque les militants jettent leur dévolu sur un mouvement aux revendications différentes ou ayant lieu à l’étranger. / During the Long Sixties, the United Kingdom witnessed the rise of a protest cycle allowing various groups of activists to press for a wide array of claims. A number of similarities can be observed in their ideologies, tactics and symbols, such as their willingness to fight for their “liberation” from “oppression”, be it imperialist, paternalistic, racist, sexist, homophobic or even to free animals from human domination. These analogies raise a number of questions, notably: how can these parallels be explained? What are the links that enabled the diffusion of these elements? To what extent did diffusion processes contribute to the evolution of protest during the Long Sixties in the United Kingdom? To answer these questions, this thesis will analyse the social movements of the period separately, whilst paying particular attention to their interactions with one another and their role within the protest cycle. By providing other groups of activists with a model that they can adapt to their own cause, diffusion processes can swell and escalate the dynamics of contention. Hence, they differ from pure mimicry; they show how meaning is carefully constructed through creative adaptations. The choice of a particular source of inspiration is also very significant, especially when it can be traced back to another era or country. Therefore, it will be demonstrated that diffusion can occur both diachronically within national boundaries or synchronically between movements making different claims or taking place in a different country.

Dans ce travail, nous posons d’abord la question de la légitimité de la contestation internationale. En partant de la conception libérale de la souveraineté étatique, nous montrons que la contestation internationale pourrait être critiquée pour l’interférence qu’elle crée entre des acteurs étrangers. Pour défendre la légitimité de la contestation, nous argumentons en faveur de la position républicaine de Philip Pettit selon laquelle la souveraineté étatique ne devrait pas être comprise comme une absence d’interférence, mais plutôt comme une absence de domination. En montrant que les problèmes environnementaux peuvent être compris en tant que domination écologique, nous tentons alors de démontrer que la contestation internationale ne pose pas nécessairement problème pour la souveraineté des États, mais qu’au contraire, celle-ci peut servir protection contre d’éventuels cas de domination. Dans la seconde partie du travail, nous explorons la question de la légitimité des moyens de contestation utilisés par les activistes. En conservant les idées de Pettit concernant la domination, nous prenons toutefois nos distances par rapport à cet auteur et sa conception délibérative de la contestation. Nous amorcerons finalement la réflexion dans le but de trouver des critères pouvant légitimer certains recours à des moyens de contestation plus radicaux. Nous défendons notamment une position originale, voulant que la contestation soit comprise en continuité avec la délibération plutôt qu’en rupture avec celle-ci. / In this paper, we first study the case of international activism’s legitimacy. Accordinging to the liberal sovereignty principal, we show that it could be a problem to allow activists to protest on the international stage, as this would create a form of interference against the ones they target. But as we consider that the political pressure of interest groups is necessary to face major problems like the environmental issues, it seems important to us to advocate their work at the global level. To offer a defense of international activism, we base our position on the republican ideas of Philip Pettit for whom, political freedom would not be a non-interference, but a non-domination. After showing that some environmental issues can be understood as domination issues, we argue that international activism is not a necessarily a problem for the State’s sovereignty, but that it offers a protection against some form of ecological domination. In the second half of this paper, we study the legitimacy of the different means of pressure the activists can use to protest. As we keep the idea of freedom as non-domination, we will take our distances from Pettit’s thought of political contestatory. After criticizing the ideas of the deliberative democrats, we will initiate the reflection to find some new criterions that would legitimate some more radical means of pressure like direct actions and civil disobedience. We also offer an original thesis by suggesting that activism and deliberation should not be understood as opposites but rather as a continuum.

The economic crisis of 2008 and subsequent implementation of austerity policies in Greece has had profound negative socio-economic impacts on Greek citizens. One way people seek to improve their socio-economic conditions is through participation in community organisations that have been studied for their ability to provide access to resources and representation. Through the application of a conceptual framework that connects the concepts of Social Capital and empowerment, this thesis investigates in what ways participation in Urban Agricultural Gardens (UAGs) in Thessaloniki benefits citizens. Specifically, the research aims to identify in what ways the formation of social relationships on these organisations produces and distributes Social Capital and whether this has empowering effects on individuals. The research positions itself within an ongoing discussion in what is referred to as a ‘neoliberal transition’, where in the last two decades social movements have increasingly contested forms of neoliberal governance and sought alternative forms of social organisation. Using empirical data from two Urban Agricultural Gardens in Thessaloniki, this thesis further investigates in what ways citizen empowerment may lead to contestations of neoliberal governance. While Social Capital was found to be generated at both organisations, there were differences in the ways it was produced and distributed. Stronger social ties were formed at PERKA due to an organisational structure that was conducive to social interaction. Similarly, narratives of contestation were found to be intensified by the physical and ideational practices at the organisation.

A discussão contemporânea sobre a organização de uma sociedade política que estabeleça princípios normativos visando à legitimação do Estado de direito está no epicentro da fundamentação das teorias de democracia deliberativa. Assim, indagaremos sobre a estruturação de mecanismos constitucionais que possibilitem o exercício dos direitos políticos para a formação da opinião pública. A tese a ser defendida é que há pontos problemáticos na teoria deliberativa de Habermas que dificultam a sua aplicação na práxis social. O que observamos é a necessidade do estabelecimento de mecanismos para a defesa dos cidadãos perante a forma instrumental por meio da qual os sistemas sociais operam na sociedade capitalista tardia. Por isso, com o auxílio da teoria de democracia contestatória e a concepção de liberdade republicana, apresentadas por Pettit, almejamos salvaguardar os princípios discursivos da teoria habermasiana de democracia e, ao mesmo tempo, possibilitar uma ampliação no processo de reconstrução normativa e discursiva do Estado democrático de direito. A teoria republicana de liberdade como não-dominação nos oferece um estratagema para escapar da aporia na qual as teorias contemporâneas de democracia deliberativa encontram-se aprisionadas, em particular, no que se refere à finalidade de equilibrar a força de legitimação do poder comunicativo e a sua influência na formatação do aparelho administrativo-estatal. / The contemporary discussion on the organization of a political society to establish normative principles aimed at legitimizing the rule of law is at the epicenter of the grounds of deliberative democracy theories. Therefore, we inquire on structuring constitutional mechanisms that enable the exercise of political rights for the formation of public opinion. The thesis to be defended is that there are trouble spots in the deliberative theory of Habermas that hinder their implementation in social praxis. What we observe is the need to establish mechanisms for the protection of citizens before the instrumental means by which social system operate in late capitalist society. Therefore, with the help of contestatory democracy theory and the design of republican liberty, presented by Pettit, we aim to safeguard the discursive principles of Habermas\' theory of democracy and at the same time, enabling an expansion in the process of normative and discursive reconstruction of the democratic state of law. The republican theory of freedom as non-domination gives us a ploy to escape quandary in which contemporary theories of deliberative democratic are trapped in particular as regards the purpose of balancing the legitimacy under power communicative and their influence in shaping the administrative-state apparatus.