Contenu du sommaire : Les ciseaux du géographe : coutures et coupures du territoire

What about administrative territories ? The historian consider them as petty objects, being either artefacts or convenient frames where he can develop his analysis. This paper tries to understand the policy of space that determined the administrative division of 19th century Lyon thanks through the examples of religious and others territories

In the last parliamentary elections of 1997, left parties have been winning ; but in Lyon city it was a success for the right parties candidates. In 1986, the right government chose to cut up new electoral disricts and the Lyon right members of parliament obtained to decrease the importance of the left sectors thanks to the new cutting. In the same way, for the eighties, the cutting was a stake for the local leadership between the Lyon right, UDF and RPR.

The aim of this article is to show that an empiric and pragmatic approach lies behind the creation of the urban community of 'Saint- Etienne Metropole'. Its existence results from a minimal consensus relating to a minimal territory and is challenged by other forms of territorial division. To the north, Andrézieu-Bouthéon, favouring an individual strategy, has opted for an autonomous position within the intercommunal structure existing in the canton of Saint- Galmier. To the north-west, the reluctance, even hostily, of Montbrison, has resulted in the autonomy of the canton of Saint- Just-Saint-Rambert. At the eastern extremity of the Gier valley, various forms of disagreement are evident.

In preparing it's regional development plan and in anticipation of possible national measures on inter-regional cooperation, the region of Languedoc-Roussillon i considering ways in which it might be integrated into larger territorial units. Is this geographical fiction or a medium- term view of the regional map of Europe?

The conversion poles created in 1984 and the objective 2 zones of the European policy (dating from 1989) are two means of assisting declining industrial areas. Defining their boundaries is a classic problem when zoning is used as an instrument of regional policy, particularly where it is of a discriminatory nature. Study of these two methods of defining zones shows two different policy approaches. In the case of the conversion poles, the French state is omnipresent, both with respect to the choice of zones and the allocation of financial and human resources. Moreover, it is the last sign of large scale state intervention to assist ailing territories. With the European zones the Commission uses statistical criteria and the notion of eligibility. Given the complexity of the rules, the operation of the policy reveals actors highly familiar with the procedures. Technostructures, specialised in the preparation of applications, have been created, both within regional prefectures (SGAR) and in the Regions (Europe cells). Analysis of these two policies is undertaken in the context of the region of Midi-Pyrénées.

The region of Alsace, which in the past was strongly marked by the divisive nature of its border, is now characterised by its unifying effect. Numerous initiatives, supported politically and financially by a varied range of organisations such as local and central governments, Universities and the European Commission, have been undertaken to lessen the effects of the border. Most of these initiatives have occured within the framework of the Upper Rhine, which represents both a geographical entity and a political idea, and which has become the focus for a ??? policy of cross- border regional development. However, despite such intentions, what are the real results of these different policies and initiatives ? In reality, the weight of history, in other words the « old border », has made it difficult to establish the idea of a « new border », unifying rather than dividing the banks of the Rhine.

Based upon the very concept of grass-roots territorial identification, Quebec has undergone several processes of regionalization during the last thirty years. From municipal electoral wards to federal electoral ridings, from administrative regions to provincial electoral ridings as well as school-board, municipal and metropolitan districts, the limits change, the size and number of component units vary ; the latter may be conterminous, overlap, be modified and, even though they may have the same name, designate differing realities. Today the Government of Quebec is proceeding with a new territorial reform which threatens the survival of all existing territorial schemes.

A society usually redefines the limits of its territory as it becomes aware of its demographic, social, economic and cultural changes. In most Western countries, the legitimity of such a process is based on the attempt to allow a larger number of citizens to participate in the political life and hence to enhance democracy. This paper underlines the ambiguity of such a process through the analysis of « redistricting » in large American cities, as mandated by the Voting Rights Act.

Papers on territorial divides raise up thoughts about meaning of words, rationalities of slashing, worse use of (natural) geography as an alibi, identity through administrative units, good use of complexity, worth of grouping at local or regional level. The geographer has to contemplate and analyse political boundaries, not to propose them.