Chiller et autres faits ordinaires : les jeunes, la nuit à Montréal

Six parks, nearly 500 hours of observation, more than 60 interviews, just one question: what do young people aged 16 to 25 do at night in Montreal? While often placed in opposition to the civilized and legitimate life of day, the night is defined from two angles: on the one hand, as a moment of accentuated insecurity and vulnerability for some, on the other hand, as a moment of freedom and festive explorations. As the city of Montreal begins a reflection on nocturnal governance, and in view of European examples where the night is already well invested by a framework focusing on the commodification of nocturnal hyperactivity, our data collected in the summer of 2020 reveals a third dimension of the night: one where young people experience ordinary nocturnal activities, centered on the sensory experience of calm, the search for intimacy (between themselves, in known territory) and freedom (being themselves, outside the diurnal constraints and demands).