Présentation

The LADYSS (social dynamics and reconstruction of spaces) is a multidisciplinary research laboratory comprising geography, biogeography, sociology, architecture, town planning, anthropology and law. It contains an Observatory on the relationships between rural and urban life-styles. Its work is devoted to the study of current processes and forms of social and spatial restructuring in relation to globalisation, urbanisation and environmental issues. The laboratory is linked to the National Centre for Scientific Research and to four large Parisian universities (Paris 1, Paris 7, Paris 8 and Paris 10). It encourages the education of young postgraduate PHD researchers.
It publishes a collection (in French), “Strata – Materials for Research in the Social Sciences”, available on its web-site “revues.org” and lends its support the collection “Indisciplines” co edited by Quae, as well as the Association “Natures Sciences Sociétés-Dialogues”. Three great transversal thematic axes give structure to the collective thinking of the group:

• The first tackles the issue of globalisation from the point of view of the integration of regions and the new socio-spatial dynamics with two programmes: one on the dynamics of regional integration and the other on local development, rural and urban.

• The second analyses the restructuring of the territories of everyday life, its representations, its practices and its plans, and it also comprises two programmes: everyday practices and the construction of territory as well as learning about development: images, verbalisation, and comparative approaches.

• The third asks questions about the concept of the environment as new paradigm, through four programmes: the dynamic and organisation of landscape and its social and spatial restructuring; the social production of biodiversity and the practicalities of living; environmental movements, levels of expertise and public politics; and finally environmental inequality and justice.