Cette thèse de doctorat vise, par une approche sociolinguistique critique des discours et des pratiques sociales, à proposer une analyse du phénomène social de la revitalisation de deux langues en danger : le rama au Nicaragua et le francoprovençal en région Rhône-Alpes, France sous l’angle de leur postvernacularité. Ce travail de recherche adopte dans un premier temps un cadre de réflexion sur ce qu’est le phénomène de la revitalisation avec la perspective de fournir aux acteurs de la revitalisation des outils pour comprendre les situations dans lesquelles ils sont impliqués .Ce positionnement considère également que la revitalisation n’est pas seulement l’expression de revendications linguistiques mais est un phénomène social plus ample d’expression conscientisée ou non d’autres revendications, essentiellement sociales, autour d’enjeux d’identité collective, de place dans la hiérarchie sociale, de rôle dans l’économie, de pouvoir Ce travail questionne le nouveau rôle social de ces langues postvernaculaires et analyse comment celui-ci se construit dans un discours de sauvegarde et de valorisation de la diversité patrimoniale et universelle.Ce que montre cette thèse, c’est que non seulement la revitalisation linguistique n’est pas simplement (ou pas prioritairement) une affaire de langue mais que, même privée de fonctions communicatives, la langue peut être investie de sens, de sens nouveaux, et de sens concurrents. Elle peut tout autant faire l’objet de discours d’autorité, dans des sociétés qui sont aux marges de la production culturelle dominante. Ce constat nous amène, à partir de deux contextes que tout oppose apparemment mais qui présentent en fait certaines similarités, à nous questionner sur la fonction du langage dans une ère souvent décrite comme un moment d’homogénéisation et de perte de diversité culturelle. / This thesis is a critical sociolinguistic analysis of discourses and social practices, and provides an analysis of social processes of revitalization in the case of two endangered languages: Rama in Nicaragua and Francoprovençal in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. It looks particularly at their postvernacular status.This research first proposes a framework for conceptualizing revitalization with the aim of providing social actors with analytical tools to understand the situations in which they are involved. This initial stage also posits that revitalization is not only the expression of linguistic demands but rather it represents the expression, through language, of other, possibly wider, social issues. By arguing that revernacularization is not the main aim of the language movements under scrutiny, this work questions their renewed social role as post-vernacular languages, and looks at how they are framed in terms of a discourse of heritage and valorization of diversity, therefore promoting not only the local but universal values.This thesos shows therefore that language revitalization is not simply (or not primarily) a matter of language. Even deprived of communicative functions, language may be invested with meaning, new meanings, and competing ones too. It can equally be subject to authoritative discourse, in societies that lie on the margins of the dominant cultural centers. Thus, starting with two apparently very dissimilar contexts, we bring out the similarities and question the ways in which language is appropriated, contested and negotiated as a potential resource at a time of alleged homogenization.

This thesis explores the use of sound recordings in the revitalisation of two minority languages – the Ainu (Japan) and the West Frisian (the Netherlands). Over the last few decades, a growing concern about linguistic diversity in the world has led to an increasing awareness of minority languages, which are endangered by loss. The concept of language revitalisation calls for work which will affect the vitality of these languages. The nature of these revitalisation efforts is inscribed into place-related processes and the interpretations of the relationships between language speakers and the place they live in. Sound recordings can afford language revitalisation with the restoration of sounds of languages. This thesis argues that the heart of language revitalisation lies in the re-sounding of place attachment and sense of place. The selection of the two language cases studies, which allow for the multi-faceted use of sound recordings to be revealed and understood, constitutes an important part in the search for an understanding of these interconnections. Based on these two language case studies, which contrast in degrees of language endangerment, this research analyses how and why sound recordings engage in the processes of language revitalisation. Qualitative methods of research, encompassing forty one semi-structured and episodic interviews conducted in Japan and the Netherlands along with observations and secondary data analysis, were used in this study. The comparative approach revealed similarities and differences in the revitalisation of the Ainu and West Frisian languages and the practices of using sound recordings. Importantly, this thesis demonstrates that the significance of sound recordings arise from their capability of creating aural experience of the language, which empowers both processes of language revitalisation with the restoration of place attachment and sense of place. This finding represents a key contribution to the research of linguistic and geographical knowledge about the revitalisation of endangered languages, the role of technology in language revitalisation and to the debate on saving linguistic and cultural diversity in the world.

Ce travail de recherche entend considérer la revitalisation linguistique dans la sphère économique comme un projet. Cela implique de déterminer un point de départ et ce qui y a conduit. C’est l’objet de la première partie du travail, qui retrace l’évolution de la langue au fil des siècles, ce qui est l’échelle de temps la plus adaptée pour comprendre l’évolution des langues. Viennent ensuite les conditions d’environnement, trois aspects sont abordés : les outils de la langue, la quantité et le niveau des locuteurs dans une situation d’offre et de demande d’emplois. Enfin, le dernier outil concerne la méthodologie et le suivi d’une revitalisation linguistique. La seconde partie éclaire la situation des tensions internes à la sphère économique, entre les vitesses d’évolution des activités humaines et numériques. La suite est consacrée à la valorisation des initiatives de revitalisations linguistiques contemporaines dans le monde des entreprises. Les deux aspects principaux concernent les possibilités d’utilisation de la langue minoritaire et la gestion des facteurs humains liés à une telle démarche. Enfin, la troisième partie concerne une expérimentation de revitalisation linguistique dans l’entreprisede l’auteur, ce qui lui a permis de confronter utopie et réalité d'une telle initiative. / This research work considers reverse language shift in economy as a project. This involve defining a starting point and understanding how this situation came up. It is the aim of the first part which shows the evolution of breton language on several centuries, the appropriate scale to understand language evolutions. Then comes the environment conditions, three aspects are studied : language tools, numbering and level qualifications of the speakers in front of current supply and demand situation. Then, the last tool considered is the methodology and the follow-up of minority language revitalisation. The second part is dedicated to tensions generated in economy between the evolution speed of human activities versus numeric ones. Then comes valorisation of contemporary initiatives regarding language revival in companies. Two main aspects are considered : the possibilities offered by minority languages and managing human aspects linked to such initiatives. Last, the third section is dedicated to an experimental minority language revitalisation performed in the company of the author of this work, which allowed him to put face to face utopia and reality of such an initiative. / Al labour imbourc’h-mañ a ginnig sellout ouzh advuhezekaat ar yezhoù minorel er bed an armerzh evel ur raktres. Ar pezh a dalv spisaat al lec’h loc’hañ, ha penaos emeur degouezhet eno. Pal al loden gentañ an hini eo, hag a ziskouez emdroadur ar yezh a-hed ar c’hantvedoù, skeul amzer dereat evit meizañ emdroadurioù ar yezhoù. Dont a ra war-lerc’h aozioù an endro ha tri anezho zo bet studiet : ostilhoù ar yezh, kementañ hag adrummañ ar vrezhonegerien e-keñver kinnig ha goulenn al labour, hag a-benn ar fin, metodologiezhoù evit lakaat e pleustr ha heuliañ advuhezekaat ur yezh. An eil lodenn a ziskouez tennderioù diabarzh war dachenn an armerzh etre tizh emdroadur faktorioù denel ha niverel. D’an talvoudegezh an intrudu a-vremañ er bed an embregerezhioù, eo gouestlet ar peurrest eus al lodenn. Daou dra a zo bet studiet pizh : peseurt implij eus ar yezh vinorel ha penaos merañ faktorioù denel liammet gant an difrae. Evit echuiñ, an trede lodenn a zo gouestlet d’ul labour pleustrek advuhezekaat ar brezhoneg en embregerezh oberour al labour-mañ, ar pezh en deus roet dezhañ da lakaat tal-ouzh-tal utopiezh ha gwirvoud an difrae.

This qualitative study examines whether, and to what extent, gender equality can be used for trade-union revitalisation purposes. The white-collar unions; Unionen and Fackförbundet ST, are two prominent cases of studying actor’s promotion of gender equality on the Swedish labour market. This study sets out two questions; In what ways do they work with gender issues? Why do they work with gender equality - Is it being used strategically or because they think that it is an important issue? The empirical study is based on twenty interviews with the respective union leadership, elected representatives and officials. The results of the study show that both unions are working on gender equality, because their members consider gender equality to be a priority. As regards the issue of gender equality as a strategy, my study shows that Unionen is working on gender equality as a strategy while Fackförbundet ST do not. Unionen do so that they can recruit a new group, namely young members. Therefore, my study shows that gender equality can be used as a union revitalisation strategy. The study also shows that union revitalisation strategies are contextual in the sense that strategies that work in countries with high female employment rates and high female union coverage, are different from strategies that work in countries with low female employment rates and low female union coverage.

En privilégiant une perspective d'analyse qui appréhende les questions du développement local et territorial en terme de rapports de pouvoir et de modes de régulation des rapports sociaux, cette thèse interroge les pratiques des acteurs sociaux (élus, acteurs associatifs et minorités issues de l'immigration) en rapport avec les dispositifs de revitalisation urbaine dans la commune bruxelloise de Molenbeek-Saint-Jean. En nous appuyant sur une grille d'analyse qui fait la distinction entre régulation conjointe, régulation de contrôle et régulation autonome, nous avons interrogé les pratiques des acteurs molenbeekois et appréhendé leurs stratégies. Il en ressort qu'en dépit d'une co-régulation qui se cristallise à travers les pratiques participatives, une forte régulation de contrôle se déploie dans le sillage d'une politique qui privilégie la requalification de l'espace urbain et le rétablissement de l'habitat. Cette régulation de contrôle tient également à la forte implication de la sphère politique. Devant les incertitudes qui planent sur les espaces participatifs et la prégnance d'une stratégie de régénération physique de l'espace, une régulation autonome se déploie à travers les pratiques des minorités. Cette stratégie d'autonomisation véhicule essentiellement une logique de mobilité sociale induite par les stratégies de survie et un processus dynamique de construction de l'identité, de l'ethnicité et de la territorialité selon un principe de mobilité. Ainsi, la régulation autonome est la traduction d'une quête de mobilité déployée par les minorités en réponse à une ambition participative inachevée et à une régulation de contrôle qui s'apparente à un instrument principal d'une politique publique basée sur une logique de territoire.

Missiology is about God's call and his sending forth of people to do his will. His call is always linked to his purpose. Thus, the primary purpose of God is salvation. And his salvation is all embracing. Similarly, the Church is the sacrament of salvation and is mandated to proclaim faith and salvation to all. Hence, the mission of God (missio Dei) takes place in the Church, and is implanted by the Church in the world (missiones Ecclesiae). The mission which Jesus gives to the Church is made possible by his own mission (missio Christi), and thus has its foundation in God. The history of the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem begins with the German Missionaries of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans). Importantly, for the Spiritans, the growth of the diocese depended upon the training of the lay people to teach catechism, to lead Priestless Sunday services and gradually by the training of the local clergy as well. The present situation in the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem is the seemingly shallow understanding of faith and mission, and also the dwindling number of Catholics. This is clearly evident in the number of baptisms in the baptismal register and the head counts on Sundays. Nevertheless, the diocese is still called to preach the Good News to the poor and the oppressed. This thesis assesses the efforts of the pioneers (German Missionaries) as well as the current situation in the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem, and recommends a paradigm shift for the future. / PhD (Missiology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Missiology is about God's call and his sending forth of people to do his will. His call is always linked to his purpose. Thus, the primary purpose of God is salvation. And his salvation is all embracing. Similarly, the Church is the sacrament of salvation and is mandated to proclaim faith and salvation to all. Hence, the mission of God (missio Dei) takes place in the Church, and is implanted by the Church in the world (missiones Ecclesiae). The mission which Jesus gives to the Church is made possible by his own mission (missio Christi), and thus has its foundation in God. The history of the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem begins with the German Missionaries of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans). Importantly, for the Spiritans, the growth of the diocese depended upon the training of the lay people to teach catechism, to lead Priestless Sunday services and gradually by the training of the local clergy as well. The present situation in the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem is the seemingly shallow understanding of faith and mission, and also the dwindling number of Catholics. This is clearly evident in the number of baptisms in the baptismal register and the head counts on Sundays. Nevertheless, the diocese is still called to preach the Good News to the poor and the oppressed. This thesis assesses the efforts of the pioneers (German Missionaries) as well as the current situation in the Catholic Diocese of Bethlehem, and recommends a paradigm shift for the future. / PhD (Missiology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

The present study deals with the current phenomenon of the revitalisation of the Breton language. The work is divided into three parts. The first presents a theoretical basis to the following parts. The second is devoted to Breton in a larger context and it contains the following: the language policy in France, information about Brittany and its languages, and the evolution of using the Breton. The core of the work is the last part, which is based on an ethnological field research that the author carried out in the years 2008 and 2011 among students of Breton at the university of Rennes 2. Its aim is to illustrate the studied phenomenon by the concete stories of his actors. One of its main results is the confirmation of the hypothesis about the symbolic importance of Breton as one of the basic pillars of the Breton identity. The sources of this study are, apart from the research mentioned above, French, Czech and English secondary resources.