Nationalisme et politiques des mouvements sociaux : les droits des gais et lesbiennes et l’incidence de la charte canadienne au Québec

Cet article vise à analyser l’incidence de la charte canadienne sur les politiques des mouvements sociaux, et plus particulièrement sur le mouvement de défense des droits des gais et lesbiennes. La charte a-t-elle façonné le discours et les stratégies qui sous-tendent les politiques des mouvements sociaux et, si oui, comment? Étant donné que la constitution de 1982 est largement considérée comme illégitime sur le plan politique par bon nombre de Québécois francophones, observe-t-on des différences quant à l’effet de la charte canadienne sur les activités politiques des mouvements sociaux au Québec par rapport au reste du Canada? Après avoir enquêté sur les mouvements gais et lesbiens au Canada anglais et au Québec, l’article conclut que le nationalisme a marqué la façon dont les mouvements sociaux ont réagi aux nouveaux paramètres politiques issus de la charte.The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of the Canadian Charter of Rights on social movement politics, using the case of the lesbian and gay rights movement. Has the Charter shaped the discourse and strategies of social movement politics and, if so, how? Given that the 1982 constitutional amendment is widely seen as politically illegitimate by many francophone Quebecers, are there differences between the impact of the Canadian Charter on social movement politics in Quebec compared to its impact in the rest of Canada? After surveying the movements in English Canada and Quebec, the article concludes that nationalism has shaped the responses of the movements to new political opportunities

The Impact of the Charter: Untangling the Effects of Institutional Change

This article provides an overview of the main debates on the impact of the Charter's entrenchment in Canadian politics. In doing so, it casts a wide net, providing a selective exploration of the impact of the Charter in three main areas: 1) public policy; 2) political institutions and 3) political mobilization. The paper argues that we should move away from thinking about the Charter as a constitutional document that sets out rights that are protected by courts and move towards a view of the Charter as a structuring influence on Canadian political debate. In policy terms, the paper examines the instrumental impact of the Charter on criminal law and on lesbian and gay rights. While the Charter has strengthened the hand of the judiciary relative to other political institutions, the discursive and instrumental effects of the Charter are also felt in other political institutions such as the executive and Parliament as well as the operation of federalism. Perhaps most importantly, the Charter has become an important factor in structuring political mobilization and debate, encouraging civil society organizations to stake their political claims in terms of Charter rights (for better or ill) and contributing to the partisan competition between political parties in federal politics.Cet article présente un aperçu des principaux débats qui ont eu lieu sur l’incidence de l’enchâssement de la Charte dans la Constitution canadienne. Il ratisse large, car l’auteure y procède à un examen sélectif de l’impact de la Charte dans trois domaines principaux : 1) la politique publique; 2) les institutions politiques; 3) la mobilisation politique. L’auteure soutient que nous devrions cesser de considérer la Charte comme un document constitutionnel qui énonce les droits protégés par les tribunaux et la voir comme une influence structurante sur le débat politique canadien. Sur le plan des politiques, le document examine l’incidence instrumentale de la Charte sur le droit pénal et les droits des gais et lesbiennes. Bien que la Charte ait accru l’importance du pouvoir judiciaire par rapport aux autres institutions politiques, les effets discursifs et instrumentaux de la Charte se font également sentir sur les autres institutions politiques comme le pouvoir exécutif et le Parlement ainsi que sur le fonctionnement du fédéralisme. Ce qui est peut-être encore plus important, la Charte est devenue un facteur important de structuration de la mobilisation et du débat politiques, qui encourage les organismes de la société civile à faire valoir leurs revendications politiques en fonction des droits conférés par la Charte (pour le meilleur ou pour le pire) et qui contribue à la concurrence partisane entre les partis politiques fédéraux

Identités queer : diaspora et organisation ethnoculturelle et transnationale des lesbiennes et des gais à Toronto

Le présent article examine les modèles d’organisation des lesbiennes, gais, bisexuels et transgenres (LGBT) dans les communautés ethnoculturelles de Toronto au Canada. On y soutient que de nouvelles formes d’organisation et d’identité locales voient le jour dans les communautés queer, formes qui remettent en question les espaces traditionnels des politiques des mouvements sociaux et la place de choix accordée à l’État-nation en tant que principal niveau d’analyse de la situation des LGBT sous l’angle des droits humains. Plutôt que de s’appuyer sur le concept d’une identité lesbienne et gaie homogène et bien ancrée, l’article décrit les formes multiples que prennent les identités LGBT sous l’effet de l’accélération de la migration, de la création et du renforcement des diasporas et de l’intensification de la diversité ethnoculturelle des centres urbains.This paper explores patterns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizing in ethnocultural communities in Toronto, Canada. The paper argues that new forms of grass roots organizing and identity are emerging in queer communities, forms that challenge the traditional spaces of social movement politics and the focus on the nation-state as the privileged level of analysis in explaining the evolution of LGBT human rights policies. Rather than assuming a stable and homogeneous lesbian and gay identity, the paper presents evidence of the ways in which LGBT identities take on different forms as a result of the acceleration of migration, the creation and reinforcement of diasporas and the increase in ethnocultural diversity in urban centres

Studies of GABA receptor subunit processing and assembly.

γ-Aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors are the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the mammahan central nervous system. They are ligand- gated chloride ion channels. Each receptor is composed from 5 of the 16 known subunits αl-6, βl-3, δ, γ1-3,δ,π, &thetas; and s. Each subunit type confers different properties to the fully assembled receptor, leading to a diverse range of possible receptor subtypes. However, very few of the theoretically possible subtypes are actually observed in vivo. Here, a series of studies has been undertaken, using the yeast two-hybrid system, to investigate various aspects of GABAA receptor assembly and trafficking, to understand the molecular basis of the observed receptor diversity. Firstly, since GABAA receptor N-terminal domains have been implicated in subunit associations, α1 and β2 subunit N- termini were studied to identify assembly motifs, using 3 different yeast two-hybrid systems, the GAL4, modified LexA and CytoTrap® systems. Secondly, trafficking of receptors and the development and stabilisation of GABAergic synapses were investigated by screening a rat brain cDNA library using the GABAA receptor β3 subunit intracellular loop (β3-IL) and β2 N-terminal domain, respectively, to identify novel interacting proteins. The p2 N-terminus was found to interact with a DnaJ- domain-containing sequence, TIDIL. Thirdly, receptor trafficking was investigated by further characterisation of the previously identified novel protein, GABAA receptor interacting factor (GRIF-1). The binding specificity of GRIF-1 with the GABAA receptor β2-IL was analysed. Structural and functional similarities between GRIF-1 and other members of the novel coiled-coil domain-containing gene family of proteins were investigated. GRIF-1 and a human homologue, KIAA1042, were compared for interactions with the GABAA receptor β2-IL and with kinesin heavy chain (KHC), KIF5C, as a KHC has been shown to associate with Milton, the Drosophila melanogaster orthologue of GRIF-1. Despite the high degree of amino acid homology between GRIF-1 and KIAA1042, only GRIF-1 was found to bind to the GABAA receptorβ2-IL and to KIF5C, suggesting that the subtle differences between GRIF-1 and KIAA1042 lead to differences in functional specificity

Female reproductive strategy predicts preferences for sexual dimorphism in male faces

The aim of the current studies was to test an assumption that variation in female preferences for sexually dimorphic male facial characteristics reflects strategic optimisation of investment in offspring. A negative relationship was predicted between ideal number of children and preferences for masculine male face shapes, as the benefits of securing paternal investment should outweigh the benefits of securing good genes as the costs of raising offspring increase. In Study 1 desired number of children and preferences for masculine face shapes were compared in a sample of female students. In study 2, the prediction was tested in a sample with a wider age profile while controlling for relationship status. Preferences for explicit partner characteristics were also assessed. The prediction was supported: women who desired a higher number of children preferred more feminine male face shapes and ranked cues to investment of parental care over cues to immunocompetence in a partner more highly than those who desired fewer children. Results indicate that female mate preferences vary with reproductive strategy and support assumptions that preferences for feminine male faces reflect preferences for “good dads”

Streets in the Sky: The Balconies of Lima and the Road to Intercultural Competence

The KSU country-study program ( Year of Peru ) forms the backdrop to this descriptive case study. German and Spanish faculty explored the research question: How does intercultural inquiry anchored in discipline-based methodology help advance intercultural competence in undergraduate learners? According to national standards, students attain learning outcomes, for example, by examining cultural products (e.g. balconies), in connection with cultural practices and perspectives (ACTFL, 2006). In studying products of different countries (e.g. Peruvian and German balconies) and by engaging in level-appropriate intercultural inquiry, learners develop knowledge, ski lls, and dispositions- key components in advancing intercultural competence

SK 1: A Possible Case of Triggered Star Formation in Perseus

According to a triggered star formation scenario (e.g. Martin-Pintado & Cernicharo 1987) outflows powered by young stellar objects shape the molecular clouds, can dig cavities, and trigger new star formation. NGC 1333 is an active site of low- and intermediate star formation in Perseus and is a suggested site of self-regulated star formation Norman & Silk 1980. Therefore it is a suitable target for a study of triggered star formation (e.g. Sandell & Knee 2001, SK 1). On the other hand, continuum sub-mm observations of star forming regions can detect dust thermal emission of embedded sources (which drive outflows), and further detailed structures. Within the framework of our wide-field mapping of star formation regions in the Perseus and Orion molecular clouds using SCUBA at 850 and 450 micrometers, we map NCG 1333 with an area of around 14' x 21'. The maps show more structure than the previous maps of the region observed in sub-mm. We have unveiled the known embedded SK 1 source (in the dust shell of the SSV 13 ridge) and detailed structure of the region, among some other young protostars. In agreement with the SK 1 observations, our map of the region shows lumpy filaments and shells/cavities that seem to be created by outflows. The measured mass of SK 1 (~0.07 Msun) is much less than its virial mass (~0.2-1 Msun). Our observations support the idea of SK 1 as an event triggered by outflow-driven shells in NGC 1333 (induced by an increase in gas pressure and density due to radiation pressure from the stellar winds, that have presumably created the dust shell). This kind of evidences provides a more thorough understanding of the star formation regulation processes.Comment: 5 pages, 1 Postscript figure. Contributed paper delivered at IAU Symposium 237 "Triggered Star Formation in a Turbulent ISM", Bruce Elmegreen and Jan Palous (eds.