The MINEA research unit invites you to a conference on the effects of migration on families and adolescents. Hosted by Sébastien Chapellon, it will be held on 19 December 2024 at 6.30pm at the University of Guyana.
Migration as a rite of passage
In some migratory trajectories, leaving one's native country marks a decisive passage, comparable to a rite of passage. For adolescents, this change can symbolise the end of childhood and the entry into a new world. This seminar will analyse how migration, by disrupting cultural and family reference points, can alter relationships within the family group.
From silent ruptures to visible conflicts
Cultural differences between the parents' country of origin and the host country can cause invisible rifts in the parent-child relationship. These tensions often become more perceptible at puberty, when children adapt to a world that their parents do not always understand. Clinical situations will be examined, in particular those of young people forcibly sent to their parents' country of origin, in the hope that they will grow up 'better' there. These cases will illustrate the mutual misunderstandings and feelings of strangeness that can emerge within families.
Family imaginations in the face of migration
Using examples drawn from clinical vignettes, the speaker will show how migration affects family imaginations. Parents, often still attached to their past in their country of origin, struggle to project themselves into their new reality. Meanwhile, children are integrating into a different society, sometimes creating an emotional and cultural gap between generations. This gap can lead to conflict, fuelled by feelings of isolation and mutual incomprehension.
The role of professionals: challenges and positions
This conference will also examine the role of professionals in supporting these families. How can they intervene when faced with family dynamics weakened by migration? What obstacles do they encounter, particularly when they themselves are perceived as foreigners? The conference will look at how to respond to the needs of these families while overcoming any resistance.
About the speaker
Sébastien Chapellon is a lecturer in psychology at the University of Guyana, where he works in the MINEA research unit. A specialist in issues relating to adolescence and migration, he is the author of numerous articles and book chapters, including :
- Parents étrangers/étranges parents, in Pluralité des adolescences (2024) ;
- Crossing a border in adolescence, in Adolescence (2020) ;
- An allegory of the shifting identities caused by migration: Amok (2016).
Practical information:
- Date: Thursday 19 December 2024
- Time: 6.30pm
- Venue: Amphi A, University of Guyana
