Contenu du sommaire : A propos des nouvelles couches moyennes.

M. Dagnaud et D. Mehl Elite and sub-elite : distance and connivance According to current theories (Veblen, Bourdieu), social innovation comes from the top of the social hierarchy and diffuses down gradually. However, observations of the actual behaviour of the new middle classes raise questions about these theories. Innovation seems now to be originating in the new middle classes and some theorists see them already on their way to power. From French studies,— their own or of others—, the authors bring support and modulations to the hypothesis of the new middle class from the relations between those in power and those who cannot get in.

J. Ion et J.-P. Tricart A problematical profession : «social workers» For about fifteen years, the unifying name of «social workers» has been designating a whole set of wage-earners with various backgrounds, degrees or statuses. They grew very fast in number while their social origins also changed. It seems that these different categories of «social workers» are making up a rather socially and culturally homogeneous group, but not yet a «profession» : their professional unity and identify remains dubious. One can wonder whether this uncertainty is related to their strong participation in the new middle class ideology and social movements.

F. Dubost New professionals of land-planning and urbanism Different social changes created many different structures and jobs in the area of land-planning and environment. The present conditions of work within these professions provide young people with professional ideology in perfect harmony with local social movements and associations. This probably could explain, what the author does not say, their strong participation in these movements. This analysis shows how interesting can be an approach to the educated middle class through the study of the professions, which is rather new, instead of an approach through their out-of-job social activities.

M. Chauvière et B. Duriez Intermediate social categories and non-professional unionism The new educated middle classes have caught social observers' attention particularly on the local scene, through their participation in local social movements and associative life. As a result this behaviour and these classes have been linked together. This prevents aus from asking correlative questions : do all these educated middle classes exhibit the same behaviour, and do not other classes show the same practices ? The authors answer the second question : their data on three associations show that lower classes, at the fringe of the working class, may also be active leaders in local social movements. These observations raise questions about theories of the new middle class. However, these leaders come from a catholic background and they are involved in a slow process of climbing up the social scale through three generations.

F. Gipouloux Japanese technologies in China : the mandarinate management in crisis ? China's recent history shows periods of intense exchange with industrialized countries, followed by periods of autarky. Since 1978, its imports of new technologies are rapidly growing. The author, here, analyses the changes introduced by the Japanese in the social system of the factory in two recent television plants (Sanyo and Hitachi). He shows the actual power of the mandarinate management tied with the Parti, and wonders whether or not it will adapt to the new constraints (as the Japanese did half a century ago), and make use of these technological transfers for a rapid economic growth.