Research themes

The CSO's research themes lie at the crossroads of the laboratory's five research areas. The specificity of the CSO is to explore a diversity of empirical objects by considering the mechanisms of collective action that are at work, thus shedding light on the power relations, interdependencies and forms of organisation that structure these social spaces. It should be emphasised that these themes cover research carried out by researchers as well as doctoral and post-doctoral students.

Consumption

At the crossroads of economic sociology and the sociology of public action, research has highlighted the role of political and market processes in the phenomena of over-consumption and, consequently, the impossibility of tackling sobriety issues without including these processes, which structure individual behaviour. This work differs from research carried out elsewhere in France and abroad, which tends either to focus on individual determinants or to give priority to the study of practices, neglecting the role of public policies and market organisations. They are also distinguished by their historical dimension, focusing in particular on the methods used to survey consumers (Christian surveys, marketing studies).

Culture

At the crossroads of the sociology of work and economic sociology, research into professions, careers and artistic work is moving away from a traditional approach to the sociology of culture to include issues of public action and market organisation.

Higher education and research

At the crossroads of the sociology of public action, economic sociology and the sociology of organisations, this is a theme that has long been covered at the CSO, and which continues to produce original work on the governance of university organisations, reforms leading to the emergence of new structures, research funding policies and policies conducted in the name of excellence. Two major features of this research distinguish it from that conducted elsewhere in France and abroad: its comparative dimension; and the use of history to highlight elements of (dis)continuity.

Environment

At the crossroads of the sociologies of economics, public action, law and regulation, work and knowledge, the research carried out at the CSO looks at both the design and implementation of environmental policies, particularly in relation to climate and health issues; the work on agricultural work highlights the impact of new technologies on the way in which ecological issues are managed, as well as the factors that make conversion efforts difficult; Finally, the work on consumption (see above) and the environmental mobilisations targeting markets and businesses show how criticism is seeking to redefine the conditions under which values are formed in the economic world.

Financialisation

At the crossroads of economic sociology and the sociology of public action, work has focused on the way in which banking policies constitute social policies; we should also mention original work carried out with foreign colleagues in different countries to analyse the many ways in which budgetary issues at household level are part of the logic of financialisation, accompanied by financial education approaches, and mobilise processes that underpin the domination of financial institutions. Other work focuses on the impact of new regulations on the work of insurance companies, as well as on tax lawyers and their roles in both the administration and multinational companies. Finally, we should mention the work on the history of French capitalism, as reflected in the composition of boards of directors, which shows the growing importance of financial issues in the governance of large companies.

Inequalities

Organisations are rife with inequalities that manifest themselves in differences in positions and status, remuneration and forms of power. These inequalities, which may relate to pay, qualifications, gender, sexuality, age or social origin, structure the way organisations function, making them places where the inequalities that manifest themselves elsewhere in society can be performed, asserted and even produced, but also contested. We can then follow the way in which internal processes within organisations, particularly those used for recruitment, mobility, promotion, training, remuneration or job definition, affect these forms of inequality, by reinforcing or combating discrimination, making differences invisible, constructing categories or stratifying collectives. In addition, organisations interact with many sectors of social life, in higher education, health, the economy, consumption, culture, memory and the professions, and thus contribute to producing and reproducing inequalities and discrimination in their audiences, which can manifest themselves in many forms: economic, workplace, environmental, health, legal and digital inequalities.

Justice

At the crossroads of the sociologies of law, work and public action, the research is renewing the CSO's historical work on judicial organisations, extending it to international tribunals and high courts. It also analyses the production of law in everyday situations, both in the workplace and in private life. Legal consciousness studies, legal intermediaries, and the role of law in the production of inequality and discrimination are all perspectives that inform this work. We should also mention the use of the law by victims' associations and the way in which this helps to redefine their causes; or research focusing on lawyers (specialising in tax law, environmental health, or before the supreme courts).

Digital

At the crossroads of the sociologies of work and organisations, research has focused on the transformations of work linked to the introduction of digital tools, the new professions emerging around the production and use of data, the role of algorithms and the uses they induce.

Risks and crises

At the crossroads of the sociologies of organisations, public action and knowledge, research has focused on the definition, characterisation and analysis of risks, including within a comparative European framework; on risk calculation tools in the banking and insurance sectors; and on economic forecasting tools. Research has also focused on crisis preparation and management in various fields. In particular, research has focused on the organisational and decision-making issues involved in managing the Covid crisis, both in France and from a comparative perspective with Sweden.

Health

At the crossroads of the sociologies of organisations, public action, work and knowledge, research has focused on the organisation of care both within health and medico-social establishments and between establishments or in the so-called primary care sector. Research has also focused on the organisation of medical research, the regulation of the drug market and drug prescribing, screening systems, addictions, blood donation, environmental health, occupational health, the pharmaceutical industry, expertise, the role of hospitals in the management of Covid-19 and national and local public health policies.