Le destin des enfants d'immigrés. The social fate of children of migrants

Based on the first large survey on migrant families in France, coming from different countries and belonging to different migration cohorts, this book explores the social trajectories of the so called “second generations”. It focuses on the role and quality of intergenerational relations, and includes all children in a family, i.e. those born in France, those who came to France with their parents, as well as those who have remained in the country of origin or went back there. This allows important comparisons between siblings with a different migratory history as well as different relationship with their parents. While disconfirming many stereotypes concerning second generation migrants, this book shows how the process of social integration is a complex intergenerational project and process. It requires strong intergenerational solidarity, but at the same time, when it succeeds, it may result in a de-linking of generations, in an interruption of intergenerational transmission of values, memories, feeling of belonging.

Claudine Attias-Donfut is Director of research at the Caisse nationale d’Assurance vieillesse (CNAV) in France. She is one of the most well known scholars in the field of intergenerational relations. Among her books, Les solidarités entre generations (Nathan, 1995), The Myth of generational conflict (ed., with S. Arber, Routledge, 2000), L’Enraciment (Colin, 2006), Grand-Parents (with M. Segalen, Odile Jacob, 2007).

The presentation is followed by discussion in English.