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A technological policy, although normally justified by economic factors, nevertheless depends on the political dimensions of public interventions. To understand the context surrounding the development and implementation of the one of Quebec, and to identify the principal constraints which affect its development, we have chosen to study the case of the purchase of microcomputers for the school system in 1984. Emphasis is placed on the role played by each of the actors: the governmental decision-makers, the school boards, France and the industry. The definition and implementation of a technological policy may be seen as a complex phenomenon which involves the coordination of a number of public institutions toward sometimes divergent objectives and the participation of businesses active on the international market.

ABSTRACTFocusing on the concept of social cohesion, this article arrives at two conclusions. The first is that equality, understood in the terms of the French Revolution, is an essential part of a democratic social order. It is linked in a dialectical relationship to the other two dimensions, those of liberty and solidarity. Secondly, this dialectic functions at two levels, themselves in a dialectical relationship. At one level, there is formal equality, granting every member of society the fundamental equal right to recognition, integration and justice from institutions involved in conflict resolution. The second level is that of substantive equality, the space in which people may choose to engage in debate about social issues, to create common values, and seek social justice.

Work-family balance was part of the political discourse for over 20 years. Many research tried to define the concept that attempts to capture the difficulties faced by parents trying to reconcile family and job responsibilities. However, governments and researchers tend to look at one side of the picture when addressing the conflict experienced by parents having to combine work and family responsibilities. They either address the implementation or analysis of family policy, or they focus on labour market regulation, but rarely both. If the goal is to attain balance between work and family, it seems important to make a cross-sectoral analysis to take into account the two dimensions of work and family balance that are family policy and labour market regulation, in research as well as in legislation.

Keywords: conciliation travail-vie personnelle, conflit, politique familiale, droit du travail, work-life balance, conflict, family policy, labor laws and legislation

How does a problem such as waste management become transformed into a major issue? The sociology of social movements opens new analytical perspectives to answer this question. Firstly, we present the classical analyses of the relationships between collective action and institutions. We then examine a few of the elements to be considered within a new approach. Finally, we take a closer look at the issue of waste in Quebec, which makes it possible to obtain a deeper understanding of the increasingly complex relationship between collective action and institutions.

Even though Brazil has included urban agriculture in its anti-hunger program, the obstacles to its deployment, maintenance, and sustainability are still numerous. Several Brazilian metropolises have drawn up support plans for urban agriculture (UPA) with a view to achieving sustainability objectives without, however, implementing public policies with facilitating effects. The questions this paper attempts to answer are: What margin of maneuver do urban gardeners have to pursue their projects and influence municipal public policies in favor of urban agriculture? What is the future of urban agriculture in Brazilian metropolises? UPA's potential for sustainability has been studied in the metropolitan areas of São Paulo, Florianópolis, and Salvador de Bahia. We argue that the future of UPA in Brazil will depend on the ability of actors to negotiate and shape public policies at the municipal level. The processes of negotiating access to public space on this urban chessboard along with the victories will be analyzed through the theory of social regulation for each locality.

Keywords: Agriculture urbaine, Brésil, politiques publiques, théorie de la régulation, villes durables, Urban agriculture, Brazil, public policies, regulation theory, sustainable cities, Agricultura urbana, Brasil, políticas públicas, teoría de la regulación, ciudades sostenibles

AbstractDispersed throughout non-urbanized Québec, some 80 population centres in what is known as “remote Québec” form ethnogeographical groupings with vague contours and very different socioeconomic destinies. This paper examines the development models of these communities. It is based on a detailed comparative analysis of several dozen variables relating to demographics, education, health, housing, personal income, public expenditures and economic activities. Nine key indicators are analysed here. The study shows that these realities form four models of development, which are distinguished mainly by the type of exploitation of natural resources and by population characteristics. In the regions where resource exploitation takes place on a large scale, the populations benefit from the economic spinoffs of development. However, they do so according to different patterns, either directly for those families that earn their living in this way, or indirectly, for those populations that have been able to capitalize on the attraction of the resources. In those regions where resources are exploited on a small scale, or where prosperity is no longer ensured by mechanisms that used to be effective, the general situation is deteriorating not only because the economic infrastructure remains weak, but also because the populations do not have the political clout to change things. In this perspective, the ethnic factor would appear to be a much less important determinant than the presence of a large-scale wealth of resources and the capacity to benefit from it locally.

The concepts of "citizen participation" and "empowerment" are, at present, widely discussed. The authors begin this article by defining these concepts in order to link them to the social development of libraries. Thus, Montréal's public libraries, a knowledge city, adhere to the values associated with citizen participation such as openness, equality, inclusion, and innovation. Their activities help foster the citizen's autonomy and his or her participation in society. Examples of different types of clients will be put forward and the conditions necessary for citizen participation will be outlined. The authors will attempt to assess the impact of citizen participation from a sustainable development point of view. How can public libraries relate and contribute to the cultural component of Agenda 21 from a sustainable development perspective? Why is it relevant to invest and encourage citizen participation in libraries? What gains can be made in the long-term? Examples of social and urban development help further the analysis.