UN RENOUVEAU DE LA PARTICIPATION ASSOCIATIVE ? L'engagement et le militantisme au sein du comité Attac Isère

Systems of representation

The method of semi-directing maintenance appeared most adequate in this research. It was a question of connecting the representations which carrying are surveyed with those which are diffused by the national direction and of which we already traced some tracks (spontaneousness of the movement, fastening to popular education). We wished to know which were the common representations which constitute the signs of the existence of the same militant culture^42(*). In the same way, the differences in representation can translate certain conflicts. The second comparison which appears necessary is that which is carried out between the militant representations and the behaviors. We leave the assumption that the representations are equipped with a sufficient explanatory force to account for the attitudes^43(*). Need for investing lived of inquired, the search for a climate of « confidence » sufficient force to adopt a mode of sufficiently free speech^44(*). This is why the talks were carried out on a semi-directing mode and that their duration is often long. The number of surveyed was also voluntarily restricted in order to allow a more detailed analysis of the sample. The objective was not to obtain a representative but varied sample. As recalled by Sapir, « if an individual testimony is recorded [...] that does not want to say that one attaches weight to the individual, adult and singular entity, but that one takes it for sample of the community ».^45(*) Lastly, one can note that the recording and the retranscription of the talks were considered to be essential since they constitute the essence of material of research. Inquired did not have any reserve to be made record^46(*).

The setting in question (S) of engagements

In order to be able to direct the course of maintenance, we made the choice press us on a guide of rather detailed maintenance which can index the principal questions which led us to meet inquired^47(*). However, we proceeded to the majority of the talks without this guide, while having with the spirit its unfolding. What interested us was less to obtain precise answers to our questions to penetrate and include/understand the mental representations which direct inquired in their militancy^48(*).

The talks can be cut out in two topics. A first whole of questions related to the engagement of surveyed and their participation in Attac, this part occupied the three quarters of the maintenance time. From the put questions, the talks followed rather different courses bus each one of them was directed towards the specificity of surveyed^49(*). Of course, the majority of them developed long passages on the claims of association but those Ci do not appear entirely in the retranscription of the talks. The remarks made by the militants are connected sometimes too much with an ideological speech « official » to be able to be the subject of a sociological analysis^50(*).

The second part of the questionnaire was devoted to lived specific of the person interviewed. This part corresponded to a biographical maintenance, it aimed to trace for the each inquired broad outline of its past militant, its social and family origin, or of its electoral behavior, and to thus allow recontextualiser its engagement^51(*). A too static approach and « réifiante » of the militants, i.e. who would do nothing but take note of what they are, is not ready to include/understand how they managed to militate in Attac and which direction they gives to their engagement. It is only by one consideration of the militants in term of professional, social and militant trajectories, that it is possible to proceed to the genealogy of their engagement. It is a question of tracing the bond which exists between the direction that they give to their adhesion with Attac and their biographical course (social origin, course militant, professional).

The grid of maintenance knew several modifications during the investigation. The initial instruction is the question having been modified more. It related to, during our first talks, the representation that inquired has of its engagement («How you represent yourself your engagement within Attac? »). However it was inadequate because certain people interviewed did not answer directly the question ; it is the case with François^52(*) who answered the question while referring to his past or Isabelle who asked to reformulate the question. Did the instruction being too fuzzy, it appear preferable to question the militants on their functions and their participation in the committee isérois («I would like to know your implication and your participation in Attac? » with will Laurent, «Already, I ask you for your functions within Attac Isere? » with Thomas). This starting point was more suitable because it made it possible to penetrate directly in the sharp one of the subject, i.e. the life of the isérois group.

The comprehension of the engagement of the militants isérois requires a double interrogation. Initially, it appears paramount to analyze Attac as an associative mode of organization. How to explain the specific mode of organization of the committee isérois ? The structuring of association raises T it only of one unforeseeable spontaneousness or does it answer the installation of certain strategies? Up to what point T it is distinguished from the traditional modes of participation (political trade unions and parties)? Which importance the associative form represents T it in the engagement of the militants ?

It will be possible, in the second time, to question the innovation of the participation within Attac as such. In which context the engagement of the militants has T it take place ? How networks gradually appeared ? The engagement of the militants answers T it same logics (social, individual) that the forms of traditional engagement or in what is distinguished from them T it ? Witness T one a renewal of the militant practices local or national? In short, it will be a question of examining which is the revival of the modes of participation.

Part 1 associative mode

* ⁴² Guy Michelat observes that «  each individual is carrying the culture and the subcultures to which it belongs and which it of it is representative  ». He adds  : «  We understand here by cultures the whole of the representations, effective valorizations, the practices, the social rules, the telegraphy codes  ». Michelat (Guy), «  On the use of not-directing maintenance in sociology  », Re-examined French of Sociology, n°16, 1975, p. 232.

* ⁴³ That does not mean only it is necessary to stick to the speech held by the militants. It will act, contrary exceeding it.

* ⁴⁴ Stephan Beaud and Florence Weber note that in maintenance, «  the problem is not [...] to obtain good answers. Essence and to gain confidence to inquire it, manage to include/understand it with half-word and with between (temporarily) in its universe (mental)  ». Beaud (Stephan), Weber (Florence), Guide of the investigation of ground, Paris, the discovery, 1998, p.328.

* ⁴⁵ Sapir, Anthropology, Paris, ED Midnight, 1967, T1, p. 90.

* ⁴⁶ The discussion with Lionel could be retranscribed only partly because of a dysfunction of the tape recorder, after one hour of recording, the retranscription of the continuation of maintenance was thus carried out with the hand starting from catches of notes and the memories remaining.

* ⁴⁷ Cf, «  Guide maintenance  », appendix n°27, p. 57.

* ⁴⁸ The guide of maintenance however was used for certain inquired which made the wish of it. It is the case for example of Fabien, professor of economy at the university. This one feared, not having never militated in Attac after its adhesion, not to be not in measurement of being able to help us. We immediately reassured it by ensuring to him that our work, had been prepared and that we lay out a unit of rather broad questions. That joined the remark that draw up Stephan Beaud and Florence Weber as for the utility of the guides of maintenance. This one varies much according to the social background of surveyed: in the presence of «people having of the cultural or authorized capital, the guide maintenance can be used as scientific guarantee», on the other hand, «with investigations in popular medium, the guide tends to officialize even more the situation of investigation [...] and to make more difficult the work of put in confidence. » Beaud (Stephan), Weber (Florence), op.cit.

* ⁴⁹ For example Thomas, former president d' Attac Isere, was brought to speak more specifically about the creation of the isérois group in which it took part and of the relations between the room and national. Laurent especially developed his feeling of distance and shift with the positioning of other militants of the isérois group, which it considers too radical. Julie who was implied less during maintenance, developed the actions led by the isérois group, as well as the relationships to the national group. François insisted on the international aspect of the claims and made a reading in terms of fight of classes. Fabien which attended a meeting of Attac forever, tried to justify its adhesion and its absence of participation.

* ⁵⁰ However we will not fail on several occasions to note the similarities between the speech of the militants and that of association.

* ⁵¹ The individual one is not negligible as it returns to a whole of social determinants which are as many constraints structural on the behavior of the individuals.

* ⁵² F.E  : How you represent yourself your engagement within Attac?

François: My engagement militant dates already a little since, I started to militate in 1992, therefore that will make soon ten years. Euh... What primarily pushed me to militate it is social justice, social inequalities...