Contenu du sommaire : La Nature en question

‪The main thrust of the new Ecuadorian constitution of 2008 is the Sumak Kawsay (Good Living). This is based on a renewed social vision proposing a “post neo liberal” alternative that returns human beings and their well-being to the heart of the Man/Nature relationship. In this respect, the Ecuadorian government claims that its urban planning of Guayaquil's mangrove banks is based upon Good Living principles and promoting the rights of nature. But what is happening in reality ? If the rehabilitation of linear parks considered as urban public spaces seeks to merge architectural and urban visions, living environment, and environmental protection, does this really reflect the principles of Good Living?‪

‪In France, obesity now affects 15% of the population and only 24% of adults attain recommended levels of physical activity. Faced with these public health issues and concerns over sustainable development, walking now has a central place in research and public policy. This activity has been declining and there are also wide disparities between the centre and peripheries of urban areras. Research in the Grenoble area has aimed to define an index of " walkability " as well as its cartographic representation. This index provides actors with a diagnostic tool to imagine targeted actions in terms of planning and the diffusion of information, the development of walking and the improvement of city dwellers' health.‪

Taking the‪ ‪ ‪ ‪forest as a‪ ‪ ‪ ‪space‪ ‪-‪ ‪laboratory for the‪ ‪ ‪ ‪exploration‪ ‪ ‪ ‪of the relationship between‪ ‪ ‪ ‪nature and health‪ ‪, ‪ ‪the‪ ‪ ‪ ‪prevailing notion that‪ ‪ ‪ ‪the forest‪ ‪ ‪ ‪has a positive influence‪ ‪ ‪ ‪on health is‪ ‪ ‪ ‪discussed.‪ ‪ ‪ ‪If‪ ‪ ‪ ‪we do not reject‪ ‪ ‪ ‪its benefits, it‪ ‪ ‪ ‪is nevertheless advisable to‪ ‪ ‪ ‪qualify the‪ ‪ ‪ ‪vision‪ ‪ ‪ ‪with emphasis on the‪ ‪ ‪ ‪negative impacts of‪ ‪ the ‪ ‪forest ecosystem‪ ‪ on human ‪ ‪health‪ ‪. ‪ ‪Attached to‪ ‪ ‪ ‪translate‪ ‪ ‪ ‪this complex reality‪ ‪, this article ‪ ‪looks at‪ ‪ ‪ ‪the example of‪ ‪ ‪ ‪Lyme borreliosis‪ ‪, a disease transmitted ‪ ‪by ticks‪ ‪, ‪ ‪and provides‪ ‪ ‪ ‪keys to understanding‪ ‪ ‪ ‪for the assessment of‪ ‪ ‪ ‪population exposure‪ ‪ ‪ ‪to ticks‪ ‪. ‪ ‪It‪ ‪ ‪ ‪seeks to contribute‪ ‪ ‪ ‪to the improvement of‪ ‪ ‪ ‪people's health‪ ‪ ‪ ‪by providing a framework‪ ‪ ‪ ‪for reflection and‪ ‪ ‪ ‪action to strengthen‪ ‪ ‪ ‪the consideration‪ ‪ ‪ ‪of‪ ‪ ‪ ‪health risk‪ ‪ ‪ ‪in the forest.‪ ‪ ‪

‪The floods of 2003 which have affected the Rhône Delta brought to light the dykes and the issue of their breaches which have determined the flooded area. Ten years after, two dynamics are going on at the local scale: on the one hand, following the Plan Rhône frame, a huge strengthening dykes program is being implemented. On the other hand, in the name of the development of the « culture of risk », actions involving the populations are developed in order to organize the supervision of dykes for crisis and to ensure floods memory. Based on a monographic fieldwork in the Beaucaire – Fourques plain, this article analyzes the articulation between theses two answers to the disaster, through the controversy developed against the protection project and the social and political concerns linked to the actions of « culture of risk ». ‪

The failings evident in urban cleaning activities in the city of Palermo are the starting point for an analysis of the informal dynamics of local government. While the concept of informality in developing countries is usually associated with urban contexts relating to the habitat, street trade and the economy, here it is used to propose an interpretation of the local political order and its regulation process. It follows, therefore, the work of Manuel Castells and Alejandro Portes (1989), considering informality, firstly, through its link with political institutions and, secondly, not as a state but a process because it is a product of socio-political relations with an historical context.

‪Research between indigenous and non-indigenous people is based upon protocols to promote collaborative research but such protocols are mostly under native control and have inflexible rules. How can collaborative research take place under such conditions? To try to find some answers to this question, an explanation is first given of the nature of collaborative research before studying the case of the Lil'wat nation in western Canada where the author set up a co-operation project. Finally, the interests and the limits of this case study are discussed.‪