In recent years, water management has been characterised by an unprecedented social polarisation, particularly between users seeking equal access to water for their economic activities or development projects, and those more focused on protecting the environment and viewing water as a common good. Intense conflicts have arisen over projects (particularly storage schemes) at the local level, such as the Sivens dam project in the Tarn, suspended in 2015 following the death of an opponent, or more recently the protests against reservoirs in Poitou, culminating in the demonstration at Sainte-Soline in March 2023, which resulted in clashes and dozens of injuries, some of them serious.

This thesis aims specifically to explore the subject of conflict by addressing the following question: what are the conditions likely to generate stressed social conflict surrounding water sharing in local areas? In order to understand the conditions that may give rise to conflict, the decision has been made here to move beyond the simple juxtaposition of a few case studies towards forms of (modest) generalisation. To this end, the PhD student will employ a methodology combining two approaches: qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) and process tracing.

A collaboration is planned with the Rhône-Méditerranée Water Agency which is co-funding the PhD thesis, as well as participation in the ANR BlueState project (coordinated by Sylvain Barone), which focuses on government action in the water sector. 

Key words : Conflicts, water sharing, QCA, process tracing in France