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L¡¯objectif de cette th¨¨se est de montrer que la science-fiction japonaise,
encore largement m¨¦connue et tr¨¨s rarement traduite, offre un formidable terrain
d¡¯investigation pour une r¨¦flexion sur les technosciences, et plus sp¨¦cifiquement les
nanotechnologies. Elle repose sur l¡¯id¨¦e que, contrairement aux travaux
scientifiques, les textes litt¨¦raires, dans leur diversit¨¦, permettent de r¨¦v¨¦ler les
probl¨¨mes socio-culturels et repr¨¦sentationnels li¨¦s aux changements conceptuels et
aux innovations technologiques. Elle emprunte la m¨¦thodologie et le cadre
pluridisciplinaire des ¨¦tudes culturelles, afin de souligner le fait que l¡¯imaginaire
nanotechnologique s¡¯est form¨¦ ¨¤ partir d¡¯un noeud complexe de r¨¦cits aux fronti¨¨res
extr¨ºmement poreuses, qui s¡¯articulent autour de plusieurs formes de discours
(scientifique, litt¨¦raire, philosophique, politique, artistique). Structur¨¦e
chronologiquement autour de trois grandes p¨¦riodes, ce travail explore des oeuvres
de science-fiction japonaise dont tout ou partie de l¡¯univers se fonde sur un novum
(une innovation science-fictionnelle) associ¨¦ aux nanotechnologies. La premi¨¨re
partie, entre 1959 (le discours fondateur de Feynman) et l¡¯ann¨¦e qui voit la cr¨¦ation
du terme nanotechnologie par Taniguchi Norio¹È¿Ú¼oÄÐ (1974), s¡¯int¨¦resse
cependant aux oeuvres qui pr¨¦figurent l¡¯imaginaire nanotechnologique, dont elle
retrace la formation ¨¤ partir d¡¯un large faisceau de motifs ant¨¦rieurs. La seconde
partie couvre les deux d¨¦cennies de 1980 ¨¤ l¡¯an 2000 lorsqu¡¯apparaissent, sous
l¡¯influence d¨¦cisive de Drexler (Engins de cr¨¦ation, 1986), des novums
explicitement nanotechnologiques, avec les nanomachines comme motif central. La
troisi¨¨me partie analyse finalement des oeuvres du d¨¦but du XXIe si¨¨cle. Les id¨¦es de
Drexler ont largement p¨¦n¨¦tr¨¦ l¡¯imaginaire collectif, et les ¨¦crivains japonais de la
zero nen-dai ¥¼¥íÄê´ú esquissent des avenirs o¨´ les nanotechnologies permettent de
remodeler le monde ¨¤ un tel niveau qu¡¯elles ouvrent l¡¯¨¨re du post-humain.

The Representations of Nanotechnology in Japanese Science Fiction (1960-2010)
From the perspective of cultural studies and the theories of imagination
The present dissertation aims at showing that Japanese science fiction,
although it is still largely unknown and not much translated, provides a fertile
ground of investigation to reflect on the development of techno-sciences, and more
specifically of nanotechnology. Its premise rests upon the idea that, contrary to
scientific discourse, literary texts can reveal the socio-cultural and representational
issues raised by technological innovations. It borrows the conceptual and
methodological framework of cultural studies to underline the fact that the
nanotechnological imagination developed out of a complex network of narratives
that draw upon a vast array of interpenetrating discourses (from science, literature,
philosophy, politics, economics, to the arts). Chronologically structured around three
periods, it explores Japanese works of science fiction that are partly, if not entirely,
2 set on a novum (a science-fictional innovation) associated with nanotechnology.
However, the first part, running from 1959 (the year Feynman gave its founding
speech) to 1974, when Taniguchi Norio coined the term nanotechnology, focuses on
works prefiguring the nanotechnological imagination, tracing back its formation to
earlier motifs. The second part deals with the two decades of 1980s and 1990s, when
explicitly nanotechnological novums largely inspired by Drexler¡¯s highly influential
Engines of Creation (1986) emerge. The third part finally analyses works from the
early 21st century. Drexler¡¯s ideas have sunk deep into the collective imagination,
and the zero nen-dai ¥¼¥íÄê´ú Japanese writers depict futures where
nanotechnology has transformed the world to such an extent that it ushers humanity
into the post-human era.