Thesis Defense by Claire DEDIEU

Claire DEDIEU defended her thesis on Tuesday, November 19, at 2 p.m. at the Faculty of Law and Political Science of the University of Montpellier (Salle des Actes, Building 1).

Thesis title

When the state withdraws. The elimination of public engineering in the water sector.

Abstract: For a long time, engineers and technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture shaped drinking water supply and sanitation policies for municipalities and their associations. These civil servants were involved in missions classified as "public engineering." In 2008, as part of the General Review of Public Policies (RGPP), this mission was abolished. The aim of this thesis is to understand what is actually at stake in this reform. Based on a survey conducted in the departments of Hérault, Vaucluse, and Lozère, this work analyzes the restructuring of the state following the abolition of public engineering, both internally and in its relations with private engineering actors and local authorities. The originality of the thesis lies in its discussion of theories that present state reforms as a means for the state to redeploy itself without withdrawing. Using the case of water as an example, it encourages us to think about contemporary reforms differently, as moments when the state is also sometimes likely to withdraw. It highlights the inconsistencies and paradoxes that arise from this withdrawal of the state. Finally, it proposes analytical tools adapted to this alternative approach to the transformation of public action.

Keywords: State; reform; withdrawal; water policies; public engineering; France.

Members of the jury:

Sylvain BARONE, Research Fellow, Irstea, G-EAU (co-supervisor)
Anne-Cécile DOUILLET, Professor of Political Science, University of Lille (Rapporteur)
Claire DUPUY, Professor of Comparative Politics, Catholic University of Louvain (Examiner)
Christine MUSSELIN, CNRS Research Director, CSO (Examiner)
Emmanuel NÉGRIER, CNRS Research Director, CEPEL (Thesis supervisor)
François-Mathieu POUPEAU, CNRS Research Fellow, LATTS (Rapporteur)