Objectives

Pacte is a “social science laboratory”. Its members are invested in the construction of common languages and transversal knowledge on the transformations of our societies in their political, territorial, sociological and ecological dimensions. Resulting from laboratories specialized mainly in regional planning, geography and urban planning on the one hand, political science and sociology on the other hand, the laboratory also brings together a few economists, historians, lawyers and specialists in information and communication. It places interdisciplinarity at the heart of its practices, through the sharing and confrontation of methods, epistemologies, and common grounds.

The organization of the unit into 5 teams (Environments, Regulations, Governance, Social Justice and Cities and Territories) plays on the scales of relations between actors (from large international organizations to subordinates), but also on territorial deployments both urban and rural, taking into account the environmental issues that these processes raise.

Collective life is built at Pacte around the production of fundamental research of excellence, deployed through international thematic and disciplinary networks. The laboratory is also recognized as a dynamic player in research-action collaborations, in particular with public, associative and private institutions, in strong links with the territories in which it operates. It also intends to play a central role in the dynamics of innovation and experimentation in the social sciences, exploring both new forms of knowledge co-production and research-creation and new formats for disseminating research results. in the city.

Every five years, the laboratory is evaluated by the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres). An independent administrative authority responsible for evaluating all higher education and research structures, or validating the evaluation procedures conducted by other bodies, it accompanies, advises and supports the process of improving the quality of higher education and research in France.

Overall opinion on the unit (excerpt from the 2025-2026 evaluation):

"Pacte is a multidisciplinary research unit whose identity is rooted in the social sciences. It conducts empirical research at the local, national, and international levels and places particular emphasis on epistemological and methodological issues. The UMR is characterized by a highly proactive approach to integrating its activities into society, co-producing and disseminating knowledge through various forms of action research, including research-creation. Its scientific output—disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and international—often plays a foundational role in the fields of each of its five research teams. It is substantial in volume, particularly notable in quality, and remarkable for its international scope, whether in terms of publications, researcher mobility, hosting international guests, or participation in international programs, including European ones. The laboratory successfully fulfills its two objectives: the development of transdisciplinarity and cooperation with its surrounding community through collaborative projects. Its work has an impact on the economic, social, and cultural standing of its partners."

Activity report 2024-2025 :

Submitted on March 31, 2023

Updated on September 8, 2026