Conference on land in Martinique

A conference organized by the GIP Indivision Martinique and the CNRS (UMR PHEEAC / CIRESC) aims to bring the issue of land back to the center of a collective scientific and territorial reflection. It will bring together historians, geographers, jurists, data and AI specialists, land professionals, public officials, and civil society representatives to examine land through four dimensions: historical property legacies, memories and lived relationships with the land, geohistory and mapping, and legal issues around land ownership and use.

Historical lineage and research context

The conference continues the work of a 1998 event organized by GEODE Caraïbe, which led to the publication of The question of land in the colonies and French departments of America, 1848-1998. It also builds on research from the ANR REPAIRS project, which examines reparations, compensations, and indemnities related to slavery. Land in Martinique is seen as a complex object with historical, spatial, legal, economic, social, environmental, and memorial dimensions, but knowledge about it remains fragmented across disciplines and institutions.

Scientific approach and tools

The conference seeks to reframe land ownership as a transversal scientific object by examining legacies, memories, spatial structures, and rights. It will use contemporary research tools such as geohistory, geographic information systems, land data analysis, and artificial intelligence to process historical and legal texts. The event also aims to integrate scientific knowledge with insights from professionals, institutions, and citizens, culminating in a prospective forum that brings together researchers, practitioners, and civil society.

Tribute and legacy

The conference will open with a tribute to Professor Maurice Burac, a pioneering geographer and founder of the GEODE Caraïbe center. This tribute highlights the historical roots of studying land ownership in Martinique, emphasizing the role of geography in understanding the relationship between territories, societies, and spatial representations. The event will build on this legacy to engage with current research and challenges.

Challenges in understanding land ownership

Despite existing research, knowledge about Martinique’s land ownership remains fragmented. Three main challenges include the difficulty of representing 19th-century land structures, tracing property trajectories across generations, and understanding the gap between formal property titles and actual land use. These issues highlight the need to move beyond a purely legal or cadastral view of land and consider its socio-spatial dimensions.

Scientific hypotheses and questions

The conference will explore three hypotheses: historical inertia, insular amplification, and the hybridization of long-term legacies with contemporary changes. It will also address four guiding questions, including how to reconstruct historical land structures, track property changes over time, and relate formal ownership with actual land use. A fourth, practical question focuses on how to use this knowledge to inform land policies and public action.

Structure and participants

The conference will be held in the Amphitheater Michel Louis at the University of the Antilles Schœlcher on October 22 and 23, 2026. It will include four round tables covering legacies, memories, land, and rights, with each session concluding by identifying what is known, what remains to be documented, and what proposals can be made. The event will bring together researchers, professionals, public officials, and civil society representatives.

Partners and outcomes

Organizing partners include the CNRS, GIP Indivision Martinique, the University of the Antilles, and Sciences Po Paris. The conference will result in a scientific synthesis, a document of recommendations, the creation of an interdisciplinary network, and the identification of data and research projects. It will also explore digital and AI tools to better understand complex land situations.