La controverse publique au quotidien : le cas d’un organisme de défense des droits LGBT
This thesis aims to describe and understand how public controversies are manifested and accomplished through the communicative practices of advocates for the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transsexuals and transgenders (LGBT). After a brief historical overview of the concept of public controversy and the study of its use in specialized literatures (sociology of science, rhetorical studies, management science), I propose to adopt a processual view of public controversy conceived as a communicative accomplishment. To account for this communicative accomplishment, a four-month ethnography was conducted in a community-based organization that defends the rights of LGBT people. The analysis helps to explain how activists become passionate about an issue and undertake political action. It details problems of alignment that result from various public controversies, such as legal and social recognition of transsexuals.
Interaction Controversy Ethnography Everyday life Interaction Political communication