Une étude des mouvements sociaux environnementaux en Guyane et à la Martinique en mobilisant l'approche théorique de l'écologie décoloniale : les cas de la Montagne d'or et du Chlordécone

In this thesis, we aim to use the theoretical framework of decolonial ecology to gain a deeper understanding of environmental social movements using two case studies from the French “Outre-Mer.” More specifically, we examine social movements in response to two environmentally relevant situations in French overseas territories: the proposed mining project in French Guyana named “la Montagne d’or” and the large-scale contamination of the island of Martinique by the pesticide chlordecone (also known in the United States under the brand name Kepone). In studying these environmental social movements using decolonial ecology, a research framework which demands that modern environmental issues be treated as intertwined with colonial history, we investigate if, and in what ways, the participants themselves view these mobilizations as influenced by the colonial histories and contexts of their regions. To achieve this, we will study media coverage of these environmental social movements via newspapers and social media. The regional newspapers France Guyane and France Antilles will give a local perspective on the social responses to these ecological crises, and the national newspaper Le Monde will provide a broader perspective. Globally, we discover that in both cases, participants in environmental social movements mobilize the colonial histories and contexts of their regions to emphasize and support their arguments in favor of environmental protection and sustainable development, though in different sociopolitical situations and with distinct case-specific nuances.