Mobilisation of the landscape by local public stakeholders

This thesis was conducted at the Tours UMR CITERES under the supervision of Jean-Paul Carrière from Tours University and Sylvie Servain-Courant from the Graduate School for Nature and Landscape (ENSNP) in Blois. Lolita Voisin is the first student from the ENSNP to become a doctor. 

Beyond the thesis’ co-supervisors, the jury was made up of Hervé Cubizolle from Lyon University, Christophe Degruelle, President of Blois Urban Area Community, Vincent Piveteau, Director of the Graduate School of Landscape (ENSP) in Versailles, Helga-Jane Scarwell from the University of Lille I and Anne Rivière-Honeger from Lyon University. 

Thesis summary

“Over time the landscape has become a focus for national and local policies in France. Although we are getting an ever clearer idea of how the landscape is grasped by local public stakeholders, we also need to ask why are they mobilising it? 

Is it merely the fruit of a descending translation of orders from the State or the development of a societal “mythology”? We put forward the hypothesis that landscape also plays a part in a specific and unique cross-cutting strategy for each planned territory, in a process of territorialisation (Deleuze, Guattari 1980). 

The analysis looks at three Middle Loire towns (Blois, Nevers and Saumur). 

The method combines several disciplines (landscape analysis, analysis of territorial policies, semi-structured interviews, analysis of public speeches, analysis of stakeholders’ action), with a view to revealing the mechanisms of local landscape mobilisation. 

The thesis lastly makes strategic proposals: how can landscape be a means of approaching a territorialisation of public action? We answer this through three factors: the relationship with space and time and stakeholders’ organisation. These considerations intend to provide fresh information in the use of the polysemous and complex notion of landscape that will be useful for public stakeholders, including the emerging profession of landscape designers.” 

Online:

• Fiche de la thèse sur le site du Plan Loire grandeur nature