Une équipe de recherches face aux problèmes de développement

A pluridiscipunary research team n relation with problems of development - At the request of farm organizations in the « département des Vosges », a pluridisciplinary research team was set up in order to study the main problems raised by the choice of an agricultural development and extension policy for the area. After having recalled the main phases of the approach followed by the research team (analytical studies, synthetic attempt under the form of a « diagnostic », participation to commissions preparing a pluriannual development programme), this article dwells on two difficulties of this type of research made in relation with a demand : the relationship with action and pluridisciplirarity. Any development program is a result of a political choice between objectives which are more or less contradictory and often unclear. In this context, the researchers can not remain neutral even though they may not always be fully conscious of their ideological positions. As a result the difficulties of communication between disciplines may reflect diverging ideologies which then should be clarified. As to the role of researchers in relation with decision makers, it has to be specified in view of a new conception of the relationship between analysis, education and action.