Using the methodological frameworks of relational form criticism and ecoanthropology, this dissertation argues that the shift from lament to penitence in the voice of the character Job is attributed to a shift in the character’s worldview, evidenced in the shift in the book’s creation language. Negative creation language and imagery is abundant in the human speeches and frames the self-understanding of these characters. This is especially true for the character Job, when he employs creation language in his lament found in Job 3, and in doing so reveals a particular self-understanding that remains prevalent throughout the human speeches. As the book of Job progresses, the divine speeches subvert the creation imagery and metaphor present in the human speeches and, in doing so, shift the perspective of its main character to such a degree that he repents in his final response. The dissertation is divided into eight chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the topic by surveying the research to date. Chapter 2 establishes the methodological framework and specific steps of analysis. Chapter 3 notes the specific markers of the lament and penitential forms before proceeding with the analysis of form and eco-anthropology of Job’s opening lament in Job 3. Chapters 4 through 7 continue the analysis of the book of Job up to the end of the prologue. Finally, chapter 8 concludes the dissertation by providing a summary of the preceding analysis and some final thoughts that arise from the study. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Ce travail est une réflexion sur les politiques de gestion des Parc Nationaux au Gabon, et particulièrement celles des Monts de Cristal. Il cherche à comprendre, dans une perspective anthropologique, les processus de mise à l'écart des populations autochtones du milieu naturel dans lequel ils s'approvisionnent en ressources naturelles. Un concept clé guide les analyses de cette thèse : celle de « gestion féodale ». Les politiques environnementales, dont l'objectif est la conservation durable des écosystèmes gabonais, s'avèrent « marginalisantes » et produisent des effets « pervers ». Parmi ceux-ci, la mutation des statuts sociaux des personnes vivant à la périphérie du parc des Monts de Cristal, passant du statut d'autochtone à celui de« braconnier ». La législation en vigueur relative à la protection environnementale bouleverse et transforme le mode de vie des populations autochtones. En réaction à ces politiques et en l'absence de mesures sociales compensatoires, ces populations s'inscrivent dans des processus de résistance, redoublant toujours d'ingéniosité à côté des « populations migrantes » pour prélever les ressources du parc et préserver leur mode vie. C'est donc dans des modalités de conflits permanents que s'organisent les rapports entre l'acteur institutionnel, les populations autochtones et les populations migrantes. / This work focuses on the management policies of the Park National in Gabon, and particularly those of the Cristal Mounts. It tries to understand, from an anthropological point of view, the processes of sidelining of the autochtonous populations of the natural environment in which they stock up with natural resources. The main concept which guides this thesis is the one of the "feudal management". Environmental policies, the objective of which is the long-lasting preservation of the Gabonese ecosystems turn into "marginalizing" and produce "perverse effects". Among these, the change of the social status of people living in the periphery of the park of Cristal Mounts, passing from "native" to "poacher". The legislation in force relative to the environmental protection upsets and transforms the lifestyle of the autochtonous populations. In reaction to these politics and in the absence of compensatory social measures, these populations join processes of resistance, always doubling ingenuity, next to the "migrant populations ", to take the resources of the park and protect their mode life. It is thus in modalities of permanent conflicts that get organized reports between the institutional actor, the autochtonous populations and the migrant populations.