Social conditions that foster more sustainable consumption behaviors and waste management : a sociological analysis of a participatory democracy procedure and theories of action in social sciences ; Les conditions sociales de l'adoption de comportements plus durables en matière de consommation et de gestion des déchets : analyse sociologique d'un dispositif de démocratie participative et des théories d'action en sciences humaines et sociales

Abstract

The aim of this research is to analyze the processes established to modify behaviors and make them more sustainable, in everyday practices of consumption and waste management. We want to know whether the currently recognized values alone are explanatory of changing behaviors, and whether there are strong constraints involved in adopting more sustainable practices. In view of the current concern with environmental issues, we studied a procedure in participatory democracy designed to change participants' behavior. Secondly, we analyzed current theories in social sciences in order to identify forces other than this political one. The research shows that participatory democracy results from intellectual actors or idealistic activists, who try to solve problems of political legitimacy, trust, and efficiency. But their idealism, which sparks the start of the action, faces strong constraints, requires adjustments to their ideal. These adjustments explain why changes of behavior are limited, which may discourage pioneers and activists, or alter the imaginary of "eco-Fascists", utopians, or authoritarians. In analyzing the theories of action in social sciences, we also observed the importance of scales of observation: the micro-Individual level and micro-Social level (in particular domestic space and practices) cannot be analyzed alone. They are embedded in the meso- and macro-Social levels, which highlight eigenvalues and the effects of membership and social regulation in daily practices. ; Ce travail se propose d'analyser les procédés mis en place afin d'amorcer des changements de comportement, et de rendre plus durables les pratiques quotidiennes de consommation et de gestion des déchets. Nous cherchons à savoir si les valeurs, seules, plébiscitées actuellement, sont explicatives ou non, du changement, et s'il y a des contraintes fortes qui empêchent l'adoption de pratiques plus durables. Face à l'injonction participative actuelle sur les questions environnementales, nous avons étudié un atelier de démocratie ...