L’identité rurale de la vallée de la Bruche : une stratégie d’opposition à l’élaboration du plan de prévention du risque inondation

Abstract

The Bruche Valley, located in the Bas-Rhin region of Alsace, is highly susceptible to the risk of flooding due to the overflow of rivers. In order to mitigate the vulnerability of the area, the French State approved several Flood Risk Prevention Plans (PPRI) in 2019. In the Community of Communes of the Bruche Valley, the PPRI faced strong opposition from local officials. This article examines how the municipalities strategically utilized the opinion issued during the consultation of public authorities and associated organizations (PPOA). This opinion represents a geopolitical discourse marked by a high degree of geographical coherence. Notably, it is expressed in a similar manner by all the local authorities opposing the PPRI. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the sense of belonging to the Bruche Valley is a multi-scalar phenomenon that extends across officials from various territorial entities. This sense of belonging is intrinsically linked to the mobilization of these different officials and to the formation of a “discursive front” within the context of this opposition.

Keywords

• geopolitics
• representation
• rurality
• flood risk
• Alsace
• PPRI