"French Suburbs": a New Problem or a New Approach to Social Exclusion? GSPE Working Paper 1/27/2009

At the end of 1980s, the question of "quartiers sensibles" (at-risk neighborhoods) started being very publicized in France. It was not only the subject of many front page articles, but also the target of a new public policy aimed at promoting urban and social development in about 500 neighborhoods (Politique de la ville). I argue that such focalization on "quartiers sensibles" does not only result from increasing problems such as unemployment, poverty or juvenile delinquency. It also represents a major change in public policy. Focusing on "quartiers sensibles" directly contributed to the restructuring of the French Welfare State by centering its action on specific urban spaces rather than national territory, and on social links rather than economic reality, contrary to what Welfare State claimed to do during the Fordist period. The outbreak of November 2005 riots is inextricably bound up to the way some problems (like lack of communication and weakening social links) have been associated to the question of "quartiers sensibles" whereas the French model of integration, based on equality between abstract citizens, let some others (like ethnic discrimination) unquestioned

"French Suburbs": A New Problem or a New Approach to Social Exclusion? CES Working Papers Series 160, 2008

At the end of 1980s, the question of "quartiers sensibles" (at-risk neighborhoods) started to be very publicized in France. It was not only the subject of many front-page articles, but also the target of a new public policy aimed at promoting urban and social development in about 500 neighborhoods (Politique de la ville). I argue that such a focus on "quartiers sensibles" does not only result from increasing problems such as unemployment, poverty or juvenile delinquency; it also represents a major change in public policy. Focusing on "quartiers sensibles" directly contributed to the restructuring of the French welfare state by centering its action on specific urban spaces rather than national territory, and on social links rather than economic reality, contrary to what the welfate state claimed to do during the Fordist period. The outbreak of riots in November 2005 is inextricably bound up with the way some problems (like lack of communication and weakening social links) have been associated with the question of "quartiers sensibles" whereas the French model of integration, based on equality among abstract citizens, left some others (like ethnic discrimination) unquestioned

Y a-t-il un “problème des quartiers sensibles” ? Retour sur une catégorie d’action publique

Los disturbios de noviembre 2005 en Francia han reactivado los debates sobre la situación de los barrios llamados sensibles. Este artículo aporta una contribución original a dichos debates. En vez de analizar lo que ha ocurrido en estos espacios, estudio cómo este problema social ha sido construido, hecho público, y cómo se ha convertido en un objeto público desde el final de los años 1980. Muestro que la focalización sobre estos barrios desfavorecidos no se debe simplemente a problemas tales como el paro, la pobreza o la delincuencia juvenil. Dicha focalización responde a un reajuste de la acción pública centrado en unos espacios particulares en vez del territorio nacional en conjunto, y en la cuestión del vínculo social en vez de atender a la realidad económica. Esta aproximación constructivista permite comprender cómo hombres y mujeres políticos, expertos así como funcionarios, han asociado la cuestión de los “barrios sensibles” a ciertos problemas (falta de comunicación y debilitamiento del vínculo social) al mismo tiempo que han ignorado otros (como la discriminación social).The outbreak of the November 2005 riots in France brought new attention to debates over the situation of underprivileged areas. This article offers a new perspective on this question. Rather than analyzing what happened in these territories, I examine how this social problem was constructed, publicized, and thus became an object of public policy since the end of the 1980s. I show that the political focus on underprivileged areas was not primarily or only an effect of increasing problems on the ground, such as unemployment, poverty or juvenile delinquency. The focus instead resulted from and contributed to a fundamental restructuring of the French Welfare State, by authorizing a recentering of public action on specific urban spaces — rather than across the nation— and on social ties, rather than economic reality. This constructivist study seeks to understand why politicians, experts or civil servants have associated the question of “underprivileged areas” with certain problems (like lack of communication and the weakening of social ties) while ignoring others (such as ethnic discrimination).Les émeutes de novembre 2005 en France ont relancé les débats sur la situation des quartiers dits sensibles. Cet article apporte une contribution originale à ces débats. Plutôt que d’analyser ce qui s’est passé sur ces espaces, j’étudie la manière dont ce problème social a été construit, publicisé et comment il est devenu un objet de politique publique depuis la fin des années 1980. Je montre que la focalisation sur ces quartiers défavorisés n’est pas la simple ou la seule conséquence de problèmes tels que le chômage, la pauvreté ou la délinquance juvénile. Cette focalisation correspond à un recentrage de l’action publique sur des espaces particuliers plutôt que sur l’ensemble du territoire national et sur la question du lien social plutôt que sur la réalité économique. Cette approche constructiviste permet de comprendre comment des hommes et femmes politiques, des experts ainsi que des fonctionnaires ont associé la question des « quartiers sensibles » à certains problèmes (manque de communication et affaiblissement du lien social) tout en en ignorant d’autres (comme la discrimination raciale)

Distinctive and Distinguished Gay‐Friendliness in Park Slope, New York City

In this article, I argue that a new norm has emerged in former gay and now gentrified neighborhoods. Straight upper‐middle‐class residents claim to be gay‐friendly—an attitude that has not erased hierarchies, but has both displaced and instituted boundaries. Based on fieldwork in Park Slope, a neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, this article highlights that gay‐friendly markers signal acceptance as much as they work to establish heterosexuals’ moral authority and social privileges. Sociability between neighbors and friends is characterized by exchanges and interactions that have an impact on heterosexuals, yet remain primarily checked and filtered by them. In the domestic sphere, which is still structured by heterosexual (and gender) norms, significant restrictions on homosexuality persist. By analyzing progressiveness in relation to class and race, this study brings to light persistent power relations. It thus aims to contribute to the discussion about the extent, limits, and lingering ambivalences of a growing acceptance of homosexuality, which constitutes a significant dimension of so‐called inclusive cities

Decrease in ovalbumin-induced pulmonary allergic response by benzaldehyde but not acetaldehyde exposure in a guinea pig model

International audienceThe pulmonary effects of two environmentally relevant aldehydes were investigated in non-sensitized or ovalbumin (OA)-sensitized guinea pigs (GPs). Four-week-old male Hartley GPs, weighing about 400 g, were intraperitoneally injected with 1 ml of an NaCl solution containing 100 mug OA and 100 mg Al/(OH)(3). They were then exposed to either acetaldehyde (200 ppb) or benzaldehyde (500 ppb) (or 4 wk (6 h/d, 5 d/wk). At the end of exposure, GPs were challenged with an OA aerosol (0.1% in NaCl) and pulmonary functions were measured. The day after, guinea pigs were anesthetized and several endpoints related to inflammatory anti allergic responses were assessed in blood, whole-lung histology, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Sensitized nonexposed GPs showed bronchial hyperresponsiveness to OA and an increased number of eosinophils in blood and BAL, together with a rise in total protein and leukotrienes (LTB4 and LTC4/D-4/E-4) in BAL. In nonsensitized GPs, exposure to acetaldehyde or benzaldehyde did not induce any change in the tested parameters;, with the exception of irritation of the respiratory tract as detected by histology and an increased number of alveolar macrophages in animals exposed to acetaldehyde. In sensitized GPs, exposure to acetaldehyde induced a moderate irritation of the respiratory tract but no change in biological parameters linked to the inflammatory and allergic responses, In contrast, exposure to benzaldehyde induced a decrease both in OA-induced bronchoconstriction and in eosinophil and neutrophil numbers in BAL, an increase in the bronchodilatator mediator prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) and a decrease in the bronchoconstrictor mediators LTC4/D-4/E-4. Further investigations are needed to determine if the attenuated response observed in sensitized GPs exposed to benzaldehyde is due to an alteration of the mechanism of sensitization or to a more direct effect on various mechanisms of the allergic response

Perspectives for integrating human and environmental risk assessment and synergies with socio-economic analysis

International audienceFor more than a decade, the integration of human and environmental risk assessment (RA) has become an attractive vision. At the same time, existing European regulations of chemical substances such as REACH (EC Regulation No. 1907/2006), the Plant Protection Products Regulation (EC regulation 1107/2009) and Biocide Regulation (EC Regulation 528/2012) continue to ask for sector-specific RAs, each of which have their individual information requirements regarding exposure and hazard data, and also use different methodologies for the ultimate risk quantification. In response to this difference between the vision for integration and the current scientific and regulatory practice, the present paper outlines five medium-term opportunities for integrating human and environmental RA, followed by detailed discussions of the associated major components and their state of the art. Current hazard assessment approaches are analyzed in terms of data availability and quality, and covering non-test tools, the integrated testing strategy (ITS) approach, the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept, methods for assessing uncertainty, and the issue of explicitly treating mixture toxicity. With respect to exposure, opportunities for integrating exposure assessment are discussed, taking into account the uncertainty, standardization and validation of exposure modeling as well as the availability of exposure data. A further focus is on ways to complement RA by a socio-economic assessment (SEA) in order to better inform about risk management options. In this way, the present analysis, developed as part of the EU FP7 project HEROIC, may contribute to paving the way for integrating, where useful and possible, human and environmental RA in a manner suitable for its coupling with SEA

Low-dose hydrocortisone reduces norepinephrine duration in severe burn patients: a randomized clinical trial

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of low-dose corticosteroid therapy in reducing shock duration after severe burn. METHODS: A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial (RCT) was performed on two parallel groups in the burn intensive care unit (ICU). Patients were randomized to receive either low-dose corticosteroid therapy or placebo for seven days. A corticotropin test was performed at the time of randomization, before the administration of the treatment dose. Thirty-two severely burned patients with refractory shock (>0.5 μg/kg/min of norepinephrine) were prospectively included in the study. RESULTS: We included 12 patients in the hydrocortisone-treated group and 15 patients in the placebo group in the final analysis. Among these patients, 21 were nonresponders to the corticotropin test. Median norepinephrine treatment duration (primary objective) was significantly lower in the corticosteroid-treated versus the placebo group (57 hours versus 120 hours, P = 0.035). The number of patients without norepinephrine 72 hours after inclusion was significantly lower in the treated group (P = 0.003, log-rank test analysis). The total quantities of norepinephrine administered to patients were lower in the hydrocortisone-treated versus the placebo group (1,205 μg/kg (1,079 to 2,167) versus 1,971 μg/kg (1,535 to 3,893), P = 0.067). There was no difference in terms of ICU or hospital length of stay, sepsis incidence, cicatrization or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In this placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trial, we show for the first time that the administration of low-dose hydrocortisone in burn patients with severe shock reduces vasopressor administration. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrial.gov NCT00149123. Registered 6 September 2005. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13054-015-0740-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe

Liane Mozère, Michel Péraldi, Henri Rey (éd.), Intelligence des banlieues

Tissot Sylvie. Liane Mozère, Michel Péraldi, Henri Rey (éd.), Intelligence des banlieues. In: Genèses, 41, 2000. Comment décrire les transactions, sous la direction de Susanna Magri. pp. 168-169

Des gentrifieurs mobilisés. Les associations de quartier du South End à Boston

Cet article porte sur un processus de gentrification dans un quartier d’une grande agglomération des États-Unis, Boston. Il montre que ce processus n’a pas seulement résulté de l’évolution des forces du marché et du retour des capitaux dans les centres-villes, des politiques de rénovation urbaine et de transformations culturelles. La mobilisation collective des nouveaux propriétaires a eu un impact décisif, via les associations de quartier dans lesquelles ils se sont engagés depuis les années 1960.This article concerns the process of gentrification in a district of a large urban area in the United States, Boston. It shows that this process has resulted not only from the evolution of market forces and the return of wealth to the inner cities, urban renewal policies and cultural transformations. The collective mobilisation of new property owners has also had a decisive impact, via the neighbourhood associations in which they have been involved since the 1960s