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We have observed in recent years an acute polarization in Quebec on issues such as identity, secularism and the place of religion in public institutions, racism, etc. After recalling Edgar Morin's principles for studying complexity, we propose an epistemological/methodological reading of some of these controversies that concern Islam. We extend Morin's dialogical principle somewhat to address logics that are not part of the same system. The meeting of two processes that stem from different logics and that produce the same behavior has as a consequence, among others, to make it difficult to take completely coherent political positions. Political actors, favoring coherence rather than incoherence, tend to adopt a position of denial when faced with logics that produce meanings that are different from their own. The social conversation becomes then impossible. The principles proposed by Morin make it possible to conceive the necessarily paradoxical aspect of a given social phenomenon and open the door to a more nuanced discussion of the phenomenon.

Keywords: Complexité, Edgar Morin, controverses politiques, Islam, Québec, Complexity, Edgar Morin, political controversies, Islam, Quebec

Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 launched a high intensity war that represents one of the major conflicts of the post-cold war period. How can we explain a decision so fraught with consequences? What does this aggression say about Russia's relationship to its former empire and about its ability to waive a neo-imperial model? What does it say about the tools Russia mobilizes to shape its international environment? The purpose of this article is to attempt to answer these questions by exploring Ukraine's place in its relation to the world, and by questioning singularities of the Ukrainian issue. By mobilizing history and historiography, such exploration means replacing the Ukrainian question in Russia's power project. It confirms the impact of perceptions and representations in international relations.

Keywords: relations internationales, politique étrangère, historiographie, guerre, puissance, perceptions, sortie d'empire, international relations, foreign policy, historiography, war, power, perceptions, exit from empire

This interview realized by Études internationales with two experts of Ukraine shows that the position of France over the conflict in Ukraine has evolved since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Although the French diplomacy has refused to acknowledge the annexation of Crimea, it has first relied on the mediation of the conflict through the “Normandy framework” and took some time to distance itself from Putin's Russia. The all-out war declared by Russia in 2022 has prompted Emmanuel Macron to overtly support Ukraine and to firmly condemn the Russian invasion. However, the French political class and the media are not always wholly in tune with a resolute support to Ukraine and a clear condemnation of Russia.

Keywords: assistance militaire, atlantisme, désinformation, format de Normandie, guerre russo-ukrainienne, relation franco-russe, sanctions, atlanticism, disinformation, Franco-Russian relationship, military assistance, Normandy format, Russian-Ukrainian war, sanctions

Africa increasingly figures as a central element in projects under the New Silk Roads, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by China in 2013. This is not, however, a radically new stance on the part of China, which has already in the past promoted strong economic cooperation, particularly in the field of infrastructure, with several African countries. As in other regions, these projects are arousing concern among Africa's other economic partners, fueling speculation that a strategic "string of pearls" is being created. Far from alarmist or euphoric clichés, the analysis shows that China's major port and rail infrastructure projects in East Africa are sometimes successful, sometimes unsuccessful.

Keywords: Afrique, Chine, Belt and Road Initiative, rail, port, collier de perles, Africa, China, Belt and Road Initiative, rail, port, string of pearls

Gaston Leroux (1868-1927) a été chroniqueur judiciaire et grand reporter au journal Le Matin avant d’écrire des romans populaires publiés en feuilletons dans la presse. Sa carrière et son oeuvre sont profondément marquées par l’influence de l’univers médiatique, qui a constitué pour Leroux un laboratoire d’écriture, une source d’inspiration (son reporter Rouletabille est devenu un symbole de cette profession en pleine ascension) et un support de publication privilégié. Au travers de cette étude monographique interdisciplinaire (elle mêle histoire, géographie, sociologie littéraire et ponctuellement philosophie et recourt à plusieurs courants critiques tels que la sociocritique et la géocritique), il s’agit de s’intéresser de plus près à une culture médiatique redécouverte à la faveur de l’immense entreprise de numérisation de la presse dans les années 2000. Mais …

In 2019, the Mexican government began the development of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a logistics and multimodal platform that links the Pacific and Atlantic oceans through the renovation of the trans-isthmic railway and two ports built in the 19th century. The goal is to increase global connectivity by efficiently transporting goods through the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca across the narrowest strip of land in the country. Based on historical and ethnographic research, I examine how the geography of the Isthmus has generated repeated interest in the region, shaping the material and ideological values and meanings of transportation infrastructures. In this article, I analyze how the modernization of the Port of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, a strategic component of the corridor, generates different ideas and experiences of development. Concepts such as modernity, progress, and connectivity are entry points to discuss how infrastructure acquires an almost mythical character, legitimizing failures and expectations of national development from one administration to the next.

Keywords: Zamora-Valencia, infrastructure, Corridor interocéanique de l'isthme de Tehuantepec, quatrième transformation, post-néolibéralisme, Mexique, Oaxaca, Salina Cruz, Zamora-Valencia, infrastructure, Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, fourth transformation, post-neoliberalism, Mexico, Oaxaca, Salina Cruz, Zamora-Valencia, infraestructura, Corredor Interoceánico del Istmo de Tehuantepec, cuarta transformación, post-neoliberalismo, México, Oaxaca, Salina Cruz

This talk explores the evolving landscape of Canadian music studies in the context of intensifying cross-border cultural and political pressures. Drawing upon historical reflections and contemporary developments, the presentation examines how Canadian music scholarship navigates questions of national identity, academic autonomy, and cultural preservation. It considers the influence of dominant U.S.-based institutions and academic societies on Canadian music studies and reflects on the challenges posed by shifting geopolitical dynamics, including threats to Canadian sovereignty and academic freedom. The talk highlights the resilience and diversity of Canadian musical traditions and underscores the importance of sustaining a distinct Canadian musical identity. Through case studies, historical parallels, and current responses from artists and scholars, the talk invites a broader conversation about the role music studies might play in affirming cultural sovereignty and fostering inclusive, forward-looking scholarship.

Keywords: Canadian music studies, cultural sovereignty, academic freedom, US-Canada relations, geopolitical influence on the arts, études musicales canadiennes, souveraineté culturelle, liberté académique, relations États-Unis–Canada, influence géopolitique sur les arts

This article examines the institutionalization of transitional justice within the UN system, focusing on the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence. The analysis explores ten priority challenges identified by Bernard Duhaime, who has held the mandate since May 2024. These issues, presented in his first two reports of 2024 addressed to the United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, reveal the need for a profound transformation of traditional approaches to transitional justice. The study highlights the need to address contemporary realities, particularly emerging technologies and new forms of massive human rights violations that elude traditional analytical frameworks. The analysis also identifies the necessity of integrating economic, social and cultural rights in transitional justice processes, as well as phenomena of denialism and historical revisionism that undermine memorialization efforts. Finally, it emphasizes the centrality of voices of those directly affected, including perspectives from the Global South, transdisciplinary approaches and consideration of intergenerational impacts.