Le concept de communauté en géographie vu à travers le petit Québec de la Floride.

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation explores the concept of community, a common subject of analysis for Sociologists, but equally important for Geographers interested in its spatial aspect. Our project strives to understand the role of place and socio-spatial networks in the creation of a community in an urban environment. First, this dissertation demonstrates the pertinence of applying a socio-geographic approach to study the sociospatial dynamics of a community. Secondly, we examine how scholars have conceptualized community in recent years, and flesh out their divergence of opinions. This discussion also assesses R. J. Johnston's opinion (1993) that Anne Buttimer's concept of social space is closely linked to the concept of community. In the second half of this dissertation, our reflection on the concept of community is applied to a case study. We propose to examine the space of French-Canadians in the Miami area, also known as 'Floribec'. Drawing on fieldwork research from an outsider perspective, the following questions were raised: What are the structuring places of Floribec? What role do they play in everyday life? How is Floribec spatially organized? To better understand the dynamics of this community from an insider perspective, a survey was conducted of Floribecois business owners. The results of this survey are discussed and analyzed in response to our hypothesis. Conclusions from this case study allow us to reveal the spatial organization of Floribec, and to suggest that a community is structured from institutions and places that not only provide its coherence, but from where a community draws its identity.