Les Presses des Ponts Launches 'Problèmes Publics' Book

Les Presses des Ponts has launched a new book series titled 'Problèmes Publics.' The collection aims to illuminate contemporary public debates by build a dialogue between the humanities, social sciences, and engineering. It is co-directed by Stève Bernardin, a sociology lecturer at Université Gustave Eiffel, and Pierrine Malette, an editor at the institution's documentation, archives, and heritage department.

The idea originated from a conference held over a year ago at École des Ponts ParisTech, featuring sociologist Léo Magnin. Initially aimed at first-year students, the event attracted over 200 attendees, including researchers, students, and members of the public. This interest convinced Bernardin and Malette of the need to extend this interdisciplinary dialogue through books. "We realized that many people were interested in this dialogue between disciplines," said Stève Bernardin.

Target Audience and Format

The series primarily targets students, particularly engineering pupils, but also high school students, teachers, and a general public seeking to understand major contemporary issues. The books will be short, under 100 pages each. They will present investigations based on fieldwork, archives, and observations. Pierrine Malette explained the goal is to provide tools for handling public debate and combating misinformation.

First Title on Ecological Urgency

The inaugural volume is titled L’Imagination sociologique est une urgence écologique (Sociological Imagination is an Ecological Urgency). Authored by CNRS researcher Léo Magnin, the 88-page book was published on September 3. It investigates why scientific alerts on climate, biodiversity, and resource depletion struggle to translate into collective action.

The book presents an inquiry following the daily work of an environmental police officer concerned with partridges, rapeseed pollinators, and specific statistics. Through this, the researcher argues that environmental questions cannot be separated from their social dimensions.

Editorial Strategy and Future Plans

For three years, Les Presses des Ponts has sought to introduce more interdisciplinarity into a catalogue historically dedicated to technical works. The 'Problèmes Publics' series represents this shift. The short format is a deliberate choice for accessibility, but it also presents an editorial challenge. Bernardin and Malette stated, "You have to fit a real investigation into less than 100 pages without sacrificing scientific rigor."

The series also aims to promote the work of researchers, especially younger ones who already have some publications. Each year, a conference on a contemporary issue will be followed by the publication of a related book. Other titles are already planned, including work on digital issues with researcher Marie Alauzen. Stève Bernardin emphasized the series intends to privilege original research and unpublished inquiries while maintaining high scientific standards.

Les Presses des Ponts is developing other interdisciplinary projects. One future collection will draw on the archives of the École des Ponts, inviting researchers to study them and propose original interpretations.