Thesis supervisor:
The phenomenon of "open drug scenes," where drug users gather and consume drugs in public spaces
, is not new. For nearly thirty years, Paris has been confronted with this problem, particularly in the northeast of the city, where the majority of crack users are highly marginalized. Since the early 2000s, drug addicts, although concentrated in the northeast, have been constantly on the move due to evictions and police interventions. This has an impact on the ability of each actor to organize, defend their interests, and claim space. More recently, conflicts between crack users and residents of Stalingrad and Jardins d'Éole have highlighted tensions between different users of public spaces.
The three-year "anti-crack" plan launched in June 2019 brings together several actors, but despite this dedicated plan, the state and the municipality are unable to agree on solutions. This public controversy is taking on a new form. To date, the only consensus that has been reached is that what has been done over the last 30 years is not working. Zero tolerance policies, calming public spaces with increased police presence, arresting dealers, rest areas, consumption rooms… the debate is vast. These issues are particularly relevant today, with several urban renewal projects underway in the neighborhoods most affected by open drug use.
This thesis is structured around two main themes. The first is to analyze the city's policy in response to crack use in public spaces and how different actors can make their voices heard (and which ones are taken into account?). The second is to question the uses and appropriations of public space and the tensions that result from them.
The phenomenon of "open-air drug scenes," where drug users gather and consume in public spaces, is not new. Paris has grappled with this situation for almost thirty years, especially in the northeast of the city. Since the early 2000s, drug users, although concentrated in the northeast, have been regularly displaced as a result of evictions and police interventions. This has impacted each actor's ability to organize, defend their interests, and appropriate space. More recently, the conflict between a majority of highly marginalized crack users and those living near Stalingrad and the Jardins d’Éole highlights the tensions between different users of public space. The three-year "anti-crack" plan launched in June 2019 brings together numerous actors, but despite this, state and municipal actors have struggled to agree on a solution. This public controversy is taking on a new form. To date, the only established consensus is that what has been done over the past thirty years has fallen short. Zero tolerance policies, reinforced police presence, arresting drug dealers, rest areas, safe consumption rooms… the debate is vast. These issues are particularly relevant today, where there are several urban renewal projects in the neighborhoods most affected by open drug use. This thesis is articulated around two main axes. The first is to analyze the city's policy in response to crack use in public spaces and how various actors make their voices heard (and which ones are taken into account), and the second is to question the uses and appropriations of public space and the tensions that arise.
Year of enrollment
: 2021
Doctoral school
: City, Transportation, and Territories – VTT