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The enlargement of the European Union places it at an important threshold in its development. Fundamental questions on its nature and functions have to be discussed and agreed upon by its members. France, as one of these members, has repeatedly shown concern about the reform of the Union's institutions. The French elite daily, Le Monde, reflects this important debate in its news coverage, and ties in its own position, particularly through its editorials. This paper examines the concept of Europe as it is presented in Le Monde's editorial discourse from 1999 to 2001. The study is conducted in the constructivist approach and within the methodological framework of Critical Discourse Analysis. This perspective adds to other studies on European identity by strengthening the background of their argumentation, integrating their sometimes apparently contradictory conclusions, and describing the construction of identity from a national perspective in a more detailed and nuanced manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the 36th Congress of the Société de Biomécanique and the Organising Committee to be held in Besançon, France on August 31-September 2, 2011. She states that the society's members work on activities classified as bone biomechanics, cellular engineering, and others. She says that the Scientific Committee has chosen 99 papers, which show the increasing use of computer methods to address problems with biomechanics.

The author evaluates whether the idea of planning is still relevant in the present society. The author argues on the assumption that planning is not applicable in today's community because of the unpredictability of factors that shapes the perception of an individual and the society in general. The author discusses issues in Europe including the British Government's declaration of reduction in its public sector and the strikes in France caused by change in government pension provision policy.

The article presents a commentary on the previously published article "Three consecutive (1993, '95, '97) surveys of food intake, nutritional attitudes and knowledge, and lifestyle in 1000 French children, aged 9-11 years." According to the authors, this paper showed that eating patterns in France were characterized by a number of daily meals. They reported the increasing prevalence in obesity and overweight amongst French children.

The author considers the developments in the field of nuclear physics made by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). He considers the ALICE experiment conducted at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in France and Switzerland. He comments on the study "Synthesis of the Elements in Stars." He emphasizes the need for particle physicists to not lose sight of their origins.

The author reflects on the discussion of Michel Foucault, a celebrated French intellectual, on children and their sexuality. He argues on whether Foucault's approach in the discussion of the said topics can explain the intellectual's low profile, which was presented through radio discussions and was transcribed and published. An overview of Foucault's discussion on the logics and characteristics of children and sexuality is also presented.

The author comments on the acquisition and expansion in the early American Republic. He mentions the workings of expansion by turning to the first moment when the U.S. made the Louisiana Purchase. France ceded all its territory in the North American mainland which doubled the size of the U.S. in the 1803 agreement. The author notes that he tries to connect the worlds of policymaking and cultural production in order to reconcile the conflicting interpretations of U.S. expansion.

The article offers the author's views on the November 2005 events in French urban periphery. Being a French citizen, he feels impelled to discuss the issues like names, violence, postcolony, religion, race and class, citizenship, and politics/antipolitics that affect people on the outskirts of the country. He refers to movements of social and racial exclusion in European and American society.

The article highlights the 8th European Conference on Applications of Polar Dielectrics held in Metz, France on September 5-8, 2006. According to the author, the conference was attended by 197 participants from academic, government and industrial laboratories. The topics covered during the conference sessions and their respective speakers are also discussed.