McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 2007

Rousseau's work often seems contradictory, but the author himself insists that his works comprise a consistent system based on the principle that man is naturally good. In order that individuals might live up to this natural goodness in society, Rousseau advocates a division of labour between general and particular aspects of reason. This division is exemplified in the different roles that Rousseau assigns to the sovereign and the government in the political sphere, and men and women in the domestic sphere. The difficulties faced by man in the absence of these divisions of labour are illustrated in Rousseau's autobiographical writings. …  Lire la suite

Brault, Jean Jules (Co-Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignant tumour in adults. Despite improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of the primary tumour, patients continue to have the same mortality rate as several decades ago, reflecting our poor understanding of the mechanisms behind the formation of metastases in this disease. The purpose of this study was therefore to characterize an animal model of uveal melanoma and use this model to study the transcriptional changes that cells undergo from culture to intraocular tumour, to circulation and finally to the formation of a metastatic nodule. Using microarrays we identified 314 changes in …  Lire la suite

We assembled the genome of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans into eight chromosomes, and annotated each of its genes. A genome comparison with Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed an increased number of C. albicans superoxide dismutase genes. We analyzed the expression patterns and the function of one of these genes, SOD5, whose role is to protect the pathogen against extracellularly produced, neutrophil-generated superoxide radicals. Comparative genomics also showed that although many of the C. albicans transcription factors, such as Gal4p and Gcn4p, have homologues in S. cerevisiae, the sequence similarities occur only in the DNA binding motifs of those proteins. Deletion …  Lire la suite

In most animals, males are assumed to have access to an unlimited supply of sperm, while females produce few eggs that are large and costly to produce. In parasitoids, there is a paradigm to the effect that males are polyandrous, inseminate as many females as possible and express no optimization in their behaviours. In reality, sperm production incurs non-trivial costs. Because sperm are transferred in ejaculates and that their cost is greater than that of individual sperm, males can gain by carefully allocating their ejaculates. In this thesis I have investigated different aspects of males' reproductive strategies, mainly sperm and …  Lire la suite

The object of this thesis is to present various applications of the theory of cosmological perturbations. Within are contained a number of manuscripts, each concerned with a separate aspect of the theory. The thesis itself begins with a general overview of cosmological perturbation theory designed to be accessible to the non-specialist. Both the classical and quantum first order theory are considered. Back-reaction, via the formalism of the Effective Energy Momentum Tensor (EEMT) is reviewed. Subsequent chapters are more specialized dealing with various applications of the theory. At first order, topics discussed include the classicalization of cosmological perturbations (chapter 2), and …  Lire la suite

Underground tunnels are considered to be a vital infrastructure component in most cities around the world. Careful planning is always necessary to ensure minimum impact on nearby surface and subsurface structures. This thesis describes the experimental and numerical investigations carried out at McGill University to examine the effect of existing pile foundation on the stresses developing in a newly constructed tunnel supported by a flexible lining system. A small scale testing facility was designed and built to simulate the process of tunnel excavation and lining installation in the close vicinity of pre-installed piles. Lining stresses were measured for different separation …  Lire la suite

Introduction. Despite its successful history in cervical cancer screening, the false negative rate of Papanicolaou (Pap) cytology is an important concern. Testing for DNA of oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) could circumvent this limitation. The present thesis reports the results of the first screening round of the Canadian Cervical Cancer Screening Trial (CCCaST). Objectives. To compare the performance (sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values) of HPV testing vs. Pap cytology in the detection of cervical cancers and their high-grade precursors and explore the impact of sampling order, test thresholds and combinations, and patient characteristics and laboratory on test performance. Methods. …  Lire la suite

Estrogen acts on maternal circuitry to establish maternal behaviour in otherwise non-maternal rats. The precise mechanisms by which estrogen primes maternal circuitry are unknown; however, the medial preoptic area (MPOA) stimulates maternal behaviour whilst the medial amygdala (MeA) inhibits it. This thesis aimed to address the link between estrogen sensitivity, astroglia and maternal behaviour. Maternal care influences maternal behaviour of female offspring. One mechanism underlying this influence is differential estrogen sensitivity within the MPOA. Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) expression was examined in offspring of High and Low licking/grooming (LG) dams within the MPOA. Enhanced expression ERalpha was limited to the …  Lire la suite

As gambling becomes more accessible, problems associated with gambling have begun to affect ever increasing numbers of youth. Despite legal restrictions in some jurisdictions, Internet gambling is undergoing a massive worldwide expansion. The relationship between the convenience, anonymity, and the 24-hour availability of Internet gambling and problem gambling in young people presents a serious concern. This study explored Internet gambling in a sample of university students aged 18 to 20 years. Students reported on their involvement in gambling activities both on and off the Internet. In the past 12 months, 6.7% of participants had gambled for money on the Internet, …  Lire la suite

Research on morphological variability in second language (L2) acquisition has focused on the syntactic consequences of variability: that is, whether or not morphological variability entails underlying syntactic deficits. The interrelationship between morphological features in their own right has been largely ignored. This thesis addresses the representation of L2 features by investigating the use of default morphology---the outcome of systematic substitution errors employed by speakers of L2 Spanish. It is hypothesized that underspecified features act as defaults; by assumption, those features that are unmarked are underspecified. Evidence to support this hypothesis comes from two sets of experiments conducted on intermediate- and …  Lire la suite

This project studied the biodegradation of a plasticizer, di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), by two mammalian cell lines, HepG2 and WIF-B, in vitro . An MTT assay showed that DEHA had a toxic effect on both cell lines. Despite this, both hepatocyte cell lines successfully degraded the plasticizer. Metabolites were identified and quantified by gas chromatography. HepG2 cells showed minimal alcohol dehydrogense activity and this resulted in the accumulation of 2-ethylhexanol. WIF-B cells were able to breakdown the alcohol and produced 2-ethylhexanoic acid. It is important to note that an enzyme was essential for this step in the degradation of the plasticizer, …  Lire la suite

McGilvray, James A (Supervisor1)  Lire la suite

A summary of methods from functional analysis in application to the analysis of several complex variables, based upon Hormander's estimate for ∂ operators on pseudoconvex domains.  Lire la suite

This thesis is an on-the-ground exploration of the radical hypothesis that each individual human being bears responsibility for constructing order out of the overwhelming plurality and dissonance of normative experience. It constitutes an empirically-based, critical legal pluralist analysis of everyday life at L'Arche Montreal---a community serving persons with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this thesis is to highlight the active role persons with intellectual disabilities living at L'Arche Montreal play in constructing legal normativity.  Lire la suite

Networks of cameras such as building security systems can be a source of localization information for a mobile robot assuming a map of camera locations as well as calibration information for each camera is available. This thesis describes an automated system to acquire such information. A fully automated camera calibration system uses fiducial markers and a mobile robot in order to drastically improve ease-of-use compared to standard techniques. A 6DOF EKF is used for mapping and is validated experimentally over a 50 m hallway environment. Motion planning strategies are considered both in front of a single camera to maximize calibration …  Lire la suite

This dissertation provides a detailed study of an unusual approach to the opposition between contemplative and active lives. The approach that I focus on argues, first, for withdrawal from conventional forms of political action on the grounds that the political life is ineffective in accomplishing good in conditions of injustice. This position is supported by presenting a moral critique of existing politics, positing an underlying moral failure among the citizens and their leaders as the cause of our political shortcomings. Any effective attempt to address these shortcomings must therefore be able to contribute to a moral re-orientation. Ordinary political methods …  Lire la suite

Les poissons écureuils et poissons soldats, de la famille des Holocentridae, sont fidèles à leurs refuges diurnes sur les récifs coralliens. Il est suggéré que les espèces qui se nourrissent la nuit de crustacés benthiques se partagent la nourriture et la niche alimentaire. Cependant, il subsiste peu d'information sur comment les poissons Holocentridae se partagent les habitats de repos diurnes et les sites de refuges. Nous ignorons également comment la densité et la taille de ces poissons peuvent varier en fonction de l'habitat et des caractéristiques des refuges. J'ai examiné la distribution diurne, la densité et la taille des poissons …  Lire la suite

This thesis summarises research performed with the intent of exploring the many facets of cell death. In the first part of the thesis, the fate of the formin-homology domain containing protein FHOD1 during apoptosis is examined (research performed in the laboratory of Dr. Sophie Roy) and evidence for the cleavage of FHOD1 by caspase-3 at the SVPD616 site is demonstrated. Moreover, the C-terminal FHOD1 cleavage product is shown to translocate to the nucleolus where it inactivates RNA polymerase I transcription. In the second part of the thesis, the role of the RNA-binding protein HuR in cancer cell migration and invasion, …  Lire la suite

The aim of this thesis is to analyse the inscription of the Beat Generation in Quebec literature. It is not a study of the movement's reception in Quebec when it emerged in the fifties, but rather one of its further reappropriation by Quebec writers. To read this Quebec contemporary corpus necessitates a thorough knowledge of the Beat Generation's writings and of the studies on the movement and its writers. Therefore, I will begin by outlining the personal history and literary approach of the main Beat Generation writers, who never wrote a manifest. Then, I will proceed with the analysis of …  Lire la suite

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction characterized by sympathetic hyperactivity at rest and sympathetic hypo-reactivity to physical stressors has been demonstrated in individuals with fibromyalgia. However, little is known regarding the autonomic responses to mental stressors. This study investigated autonomic and subjective responses in 10 female fibromyalgia subjects and 10 age-matched female controls during a physical (active standing) and mental challenge (Stroop word task). There were no group differences in autonomic measures at baseline. However, fibromyalgia subjects were more anxious, fatigued and in more pain. During the active stand task, fibromyalgia subjects had less increase in sympathetic and less decrease in parasympathetic …  Lire la suite

The computational model of Quantum Finite Automata has been introduced by multiple authors (e.g. [38, 44]) with some variations in definition. The objective of this thesis is to understand what class of languages can be recognized by these different variations, and how many states are required. We begin by showing that we can use algebraic automata theory to characterize the language recognition power of QFAs. Algebraic automata theory associates to each language a canonical syntactic monoid, and the algebraic structure of this monoid becomes a meaningful parameter in describing language classes. We show that the class of languages recognized by …  Lire la suite

Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy (OPMD) is a late-onset dominant/recessive myopathy caused by the expansion of a polyalanine repeat in exon 1 of the PABPN1 gene. The expression of expanded PABPN1 (expPABPN1) triggers the formation of insoluble nuclear aggregates within muscle fiber nuclei of OPMD patients. These aggregates are enriched in poly(A)RNA and sequester molecular chaperones, ubiquitin and proteasome subunits. In addition to these cellular components, we first identified two novel PABPN1 interacting partners, hnRNPA1 and hnRNPA/B that also localized to the insoluble expPABPN1 aggregates. However, only hnRNPA1 was observed in inclusions of OPMD patients' muscle fiber nuclei. Following this finding, we …  Lire la suite

This study explores the phenomenon of gendered harassment in secondary schools from the teachers' perspectives. The few studies that address the biased behaviors that are linked under the concept of gendered harassment (sexual harassment, homophobic harassment, and harassment for gender non-conformity) indicate that teachers are less likely to intervene in these incidents. This dissertation explores how teachers understand and respond to (hetero)sexist and homophobic behaviors when they occur. Six teachers in one urban school board participated in a series of three open-ended in-depth interviews where they spoke about the many factors that influenced how they saw and intervened in various …  Lire la suite

Habitat fragmentation can influence the genetics of a population through the direct loss of genetic diversity, and by the genetic processes that occur as a result of small remnant populations or the geographic isolation of populations. I examined the population genetics of two woodland amphibian species in localities with different land-use histories. The wood frog (Rana sylvatica) and the red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) use the same general habitat but differ with respect to a few key life-history characteristics relating to dispersal. I then compared between species the relative influence each land-use scenario had on the population genetic structure. I found …  Lire la suite

We analyze the hadronic phase of QCD using effective thermal field theory techniques. Our goal is to investigate the medium created in heavy ion collisions by calculating the electromagnetic emissivity of strongly interacting matter in the hadronic phase. We proceed through examining the vector meson properties in a thermal bath where the temperature reaches deconfinement and chiral symmetry is restored. In particular we observe the behavior of the rho spectral function in thermal medium and use it as a probe to examine the thermal environment generated in the collision.  Lire la suite

Most recent empirical option valuation studies build on the affine square root (SQR) stochastic volatility model. The SQR model is a convenient choice, because it yields closed-form solutions for option prices. However, relatively little is known about the empirical shortcomings of this model. In the first essay, we investigate alternatives to the SQR model, by comparing its empirical performance with that of five different but equally parsimonious stochastic volatility models. We provide empirical evidence from three different sources. We first use realized volatilities to assess the properties of the SQR model and to guide us in the search for alternative …  Lire la suite

In the context of growing poverty and sedentarization, the socio-economic status of pastoral women is an important indicator of how pastoralists in northern Kenya respond to social change. Accordingly, this study examines women's position in three communities in distinct settings of sedentarization. One is located in a semi-arid region dedicated to pastoralism and conservation, while the other two are in a moister mountain area where rain-fed and irrigation agriculture is combined with animal production. Analyses of quantitative and qualitative data, gathered from women and men during 2002--2003, indicate that women have largely responded to social change by using two strategies …  Lire la suite

Micro satellite instability (MSI) is a form of genomic instability that has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer. The purpose of this study is to further define the distribution of microsatellite instability in both normal and neoplastic thyroid follicular epithelium. Using laser capture microdissection, cells from both normal and tumor tissue were individually collected. PCR amplification of the DNA was then performed using six dinucleotide and two mononucleotide microsatellite markers. Forty benign and malignant thyroid tumors were compared with their adjacent normal thyroid follicular tissue and were analyzed for MSI. 9/14 papillary thyroid carcinomas and 10/16 of …  Lire la suite

This thesis presents the development of novel methodologies in the template mediated chemical synthesis of lariat and branched nucleic acids. The synthetic branched DNA and RNA may be applicable as probes in the elucidation of the splicing mechanism or as potential therapeutic agents. Furthermore, this body of work describes the novel synthesis of Ru(II) branched DNA as building blocks in the supramolecular assembly of nano-motifs. In general, insight into the utilization of nucleic acids as biological molecules and as nanomaterials is presented at the interface of chemistry and biology. Chapter 2 delineates the regioselective template directed synthesis of Y-RNA via …  Lire la suite

This study seeks to assess theories of post-communist political regime diversity. Since 1989 tens of former communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe and in the ex-Soviet Union developed into a rainbow of regimes, from stable democracies to stable autocracies. Four major theoretical approaches attempt to explain this diversity by focusing respectively on legacies, institutional choices, political leadership, and external influence. These approaches are tested using a sample of three post-communist countries representing different political trajectories: democracy, authoritarianism, and intermediate regimes. This study finds that none of these approaches comprehensively explains this diversity. "Unpacking" these approaches, however, and combining some …  Lire la suite

Skeletal satellite cells are adult stem cells located among muscle fibers. Proliferation, migration and subsequent differentiation of these cells are critical steps in the repair of muscle injury. We document in this study the roles and mechanisms through which the NAPDH oxidase complex regulates skeletal satellite cell proliferation. The NADPH oxidase subunits Nox2, Nox4, p22phox, p47phox and p67 phox were detected in primary human and murine skeletal muscle satellite cells. In human satellite cells, NADPH oxidase-fusion proteins were localized in the cytosolic and membrane compartments of the cell, except for p47 phox, which was detected in the nucleus. In proliferating …  Lire la suite

The evolving needs of network carriers are changing the design of optical networks. In order to reduce cost, latency, and power consumption, electrical switches are being replaced with optical switching fabrics at the core of the networks. An example of such a network is an Agile All-Photonic Network (AAPN). This thesis presents a novel device that was designed to operate as an optical switch within the context of an AAPN network. The device is a Reprogrammable Optical Phase Array (ROPA), and the design consists of applying multiple electric fields of different magnitudes across an electro-optic material in order to create …  Lire la suite

I here explore the dual roles of gene flow in determining evolutionary and demographic processes in the Misty Lake threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.). In the Misty watershed, the lake fish have streamlined bodies and numerous gill rakers whereas the inlet stream fish have deeper bodies and reduced number of gill rakers, differences that are adaptive for lake and stream environments respectively. The outlet stream population, however, is morphologically intermediate between the lake and inlet populations as a result of high gene flow from the lake preventing adaptation to the stream environment. First, I quantify the constraining effect of gene …  Lire la suite

The ability to invent new solutions to old or novel problems is often equated with intelligence, both in humans and non-human animals. Behavioural flexibility can be defined operationally by looking at the frequency of novel or unusual behaviours, i.e. innovations, in different taxa. Despite the potential survival benefits of behavioural flexibility in the face of changing conditions, there is variation among taxa in the propensity to innovate. Here, I examine in detail one foraging innovation, dunking behaviour (the immersion of food items in water) in Carib grackles (Quiscalus lugubris) of Barbados. I show that the rarity of dunking behaviour in …  Lire la suite

A concern in transgenic crops is the potential risk posed by unintended effects which could result from genetic transformation. The objective of this work was to develop an untargeted approach that could characterize transgenic crops, as well as conventional crops, at the molecular level. An experimental approach was designed and used to compare conventional and transgenic soybean varieties. Varieties were compared using their metabolite fingerprints obtained by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and both the analytical and biological variability were assessed. Multivariate and univariate statistical analyses were applied to the data to detect significant differences between the varieties. It …  Lire la suite

In 2001, the Quebec Ministry of Environment modified its waste management regulation and obliged dairy farms to treat their milk house wastewaters to prevent contamination of water courses. For small dairy farms with fewer than 60 cows, conventional technologies implied an investment of at least $15 000 to comply with the new regulation. The objective of this master's project was therefore to develop a low cost and sustainable technology for the treatment and disposal of milk house wastewaters that would permit on-farm recycling of nutrients and water. With the help of the research results of Urgel Delisle and Ass., the …  Lire la suite

Osteoporosis is a common condition characterized by bone fragility and fractures. Hip fracture, leads to disability, morbidity, excess mortality and growing costs to health care systems. Antiresorptive agents are used to treat osteoporosis and fractures; it is unknown if these agents are effective in preventing recurrent fractures in individuals who have sustained a hip fracture. Using health services administrative databases, we ascertained the incidence of hip fractures and associated-mortality rates in the elderly population in Quebec, from 1996 to 2002 and, evaluated the effectiveness of antiresorptive agents for the prevention of recurrent hip fractures. We identified 33,243 hip fractures. Age-adjusted …  Lire la suite

The treatment of Internet jurisdiction ordinarily looks to how the laws of a local jurisdiction apply to the Internet. Less examined is the underlying jurisprudence that may create the basis for legitimate Internet jurisdiction in light of the ambiguity that the Internet creates for establishing sovereignty. This thesis thus takes recent decisions of the Quebec courts that apply the province's Charter of the French Language to the Internet as a point of departure for an in-depth analysis of the nature of sovereignty as an increasingly indeterminate principle of law in the emerging discipline known as Internet Law. Ultimately, the chaos …  Lire la suite

I investigated SL trans-splicing in the troponin I gene of Ciona intestinalis. Experimental mutation of the AG dinucleotide adjacent to the natural trans-splice acceptor site (-64) in CiTnI/nuclacZ constructs eliminated trans-splicing to that site in Ciona embryos but activated trans-splicing at cryptic acceptor sites at -76 and -39, adjacent to the nearest AG dinucleotides. However, not all AG dinucleotides specify cryptic acceptor sites because outron internal deletions or 3'truncation mutants were trans-spliced at a far-upstream AG-adjacent cryptic site (-346), leaving many AGs in the retained outron segments. Thus, additional sequence elements that are present only in the -346 and -76/-64/-39 …  Lire la suite

This is a case study of participant narratives in the prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) process at The Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston, Ontario. RMC is under the direction of the Department of National Defence Canada, and has a full-time staff dedicated to the maintenance and expansion of the prior learning assessment and recognition process. The research problem of this thesis is to ask if a participant in a prior learning assessment and recognition program acknowledges their own knowledge as valuable and how this may be linked to the motivating factors that cause the participant to return to …  Lire la suite

This thesis focuses on one of the most important s&dotbelow; ufi figures of the 18th century, Shaykh Muh&dotbelow;ammad 'Abd al-Karim al-Samm an (1717/8-1775). This study examines al-Samman's metaphysical teachings as well as his views on ritual and devotion. In particular, we analyze the metaphysical teachings of al-Samman's Southeast Asian students on the concepts of God, the Cosmos and wah&dotbelow;dat al-wujud (unity of existence). The development of the Sammaniyah t&dotbelow;ar iqah and al-Samman's influence on popular religion are also examined. This study shows us that al-Samm an and his Southeast Asian students were influenced by the teachings of previous s&dotbelow;ufis. With …  Lire la suite

Ratti, Cristina (Supervisor2)  Lire la suite

This study deals with Gertrud Kolmar's literary texts, those that center upon the topic of the French Revolution. It endeavors to examine her poetic discourse dealing with the possibility of an alternative political leadership in a time of crisis. The texts comprise the essay "Bildnis Robespierres," the Robespierre cycle of poems, and the play Cecile Renault. These texts, in which Robespierre takes center stage, stand out from within the complete works of Kolmar. They were written between the fall of 1933 and March 1935 and may be read as texts of resistance against the Nazi dictatorship. Since these texts have …  Lire la suite

Malgré leur rôle prépondérant au sein du climat arctique canadien méridional, peu d'études se sont intéressées aux vents violents de surface. Conséquemment, les prévisions météorologiques à leur sujet sont souvent imprécises. Afin d'améliorer les modèles de prévisions météorologiques dans l'Arctique, nous devons mieux doser la contribution des particularités géographiques et météorologiques inhérente à cetterégion, notamment la glace de mer, le relief accidenté et l'importante stabilité atmosphérique. Dans cette étude, nous supposons que ces particularités contribuent à la formation d'événements de vents violents dans l'Arctique canadien méridional. Afin de tester cette hypothèse, nous étudions les données météorologiques de six stations réparties …  Lire la suite

Supersonic inlet starting by mass spillage is studied theoretically and numerically in the present thesis. A quasi-one-dimensional, quasi-steady theory is developed for the analysis of flow inside a perforated inlet. The theory results in closed-form relations applicable to flow starting by the mass spillage technique in supersonic and hypersonic inlets. The theory involves three parameters to incorporate the multi-dimensional nature of mass spillage through a wall perforation. Mass spillage through an individual slot is studied to determine these parameters; analytical expressions for these parameters are derived for both subsonic and supersonic flow conditions. In the case of mass spillage from …  Lire la suite

Even though the power of supercomputers has increased extraordinarily, there is still an insatiable need for more advanced multi-disciplinary CFD simulations in the aircraft analysis and design fields. A particular current interest is in the realistic three-dimensional fully viscous turbulent flow simulation of the highly non-linear aspects of aero-icing. This highly complex simulation is still computationally too demanding in industry, especially when several runs, such as parametric studies, are needed. In order to make such compute-intensive simulations more affordable, this work presents a reduced order modeling approach, based on the "Proper Orthogonal Decomposition", (POD), method to predict a wider swath …  Lire la suite

This thesis characterizes the nutritional implications of climate change impacts on the traditional food system of Inuit in Nunavut, Canada. Both focus groups and food frequency questionnaires were used in collaboration with two communities to describe current climate change impacts on traditional food and define nutrient intake. Currently, both communities experience climate-related changes to important species which provide high levels of key nutrients. If climate changes continue to impact traditional food species, serious nutritional losses may occur unless healthy alternatives can be found. Policy should support Inuit communities to maintain optimal nutrition in the face of climate change.  Lire la suite

Leishmania protozoan parasites, the causative agent of leishmaniasis, a disease endemic in more than 80 countries, undergo two main developmental stages during its life cycle: the extracellular flagellated promastigote residing in the midget of the sandfly vector and the obligate intracellular amastigotes which multiply in the phagolysosome of infected macrophages within the mammalian host. The differentiation process from promastigote to amastigote allows Leishmania parasites to adapt to different environments and is essential for parasite proliferation and survival. However, the molecular events that regulate this process are not well understood. In higher eukaryotes, cellular proliferation, differentiation and function are governed largely …  Lire la suite

This study investigates the importance of traditional hunting knowledge to Cree identity and experience. My fieldwork was conducted in Wemindji, James Bay, Quebec, with Cree trappers and on the interactions of scientific researchers and Cree trappers. I explore the connections between these interactions and wider relationships of the Crees with histories of extractive development and the State. The misrecognition or negation of Cree authority in development discourse and outcomes has contributed to subsistence practices and traditional hunting knowledge becoming politically and emotionally charged signifiers. I argue that subsistence practices and traditional hunting knowledge have come to encode cultural difference and …  Lire la suite