Clinical Sociology in Quebec, USA Pragmatism and European Critical School

Theories and practices related to clinical sociology in Quebec were much influenced by United States contributions. Let us mention approaches such as the Group dynamic, the Planning of Change, Organizational Development, and theoretical developments from the Chicago School, the existential and humanistic psychology, the pragmatics in philosophy. But researchers and practitioners in Quebec were also influenced by European contributions: post-marxist critical sociology, psychoanalysis, the socio institutional school…A rare combination has occurred that permits a confrontation of those contributions, showing for example how some basic theories and practices in United States depend also on European contributions and the reverse. To illustrate how Quebec researchers are dealing with this double influence, we present some works in the field of the clinical posture in group and organizational interventions, in the areas of community development and the practice of life histories or narratives.