La famille-entourage locale

Catherine Bonvalet

Population (french edition), 2003, vol. 58, issue 1, 9-43

Abstract: Despite the rise of individualism, extended families still exist in urban society. Nonetheless, the relationships between adult children and their parents take on a great variety of forms. While some keep at a distance, others on the contrary remain in close contact with their parents. The INED survey Proches et parents (Close family and friends) has made it possible to determine several types of family organization. The proportion of ?local family circles? shows that we are not witnessing an overall trend towards a withdrawal into the domestic unit: 30% of the respondents belong to a local family circle, which means that they live in the same commune as a parent considered ?close?, are in contact with this person at least once a week and exchange aid and services. Thanks to the interviews, it was possible to understand the processes underlying this type of family organization, which follows several patterns: some are based on a ?family creation? rationale, either by reproducing a family model, adopting the in-laws, or, if ties have been broken with both sets of parents, through the creation of this type of organization with one?s adult children; other forms, on the other hand, do not correspond to a genuine choice. In this case the local family circle is rather the result of economic or patrimonial constraints. In fact, the local family circle appears to lay the foundations for a new family lifestyle, which respects the independence of each individual and couple; this way of life also enables complex families to adapt to the constraints of urban society.

Date: 2003
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