Philippe Vidal

Geographer

Philippe Vidal is a researcher in the UMR EVS 5600 à l’Université Jean Monnet de Saint-Etienne (France).

In 2017, he successfully completed his “Habilitation to Supervise Research”, presenting a geographical analysis framework for the digital development of territories. His approach to this specialised field is systemic, considering the evolution of telecommunications infrastructures, the proliferation of digital devices, and the analysis of their socio-spatial uses across various geographical contexts (metropolitan, suburban, rural, French, overseas, etc.). His primary hypothesis is that territorial digital technology significantly influences contemporary dynamics, even though the public sector, actively involved in its deployment, does not fully comprehend or control its effects.

In addition to his academic roles, Philippe Vidal is the editor of NETCOM, an international geography journal focused on exploring the relationship between "territories" and "digital technology."