"This book is an almost literary socio-anthropological ‘novel’ taken from real life. It is both complex and accessible to a broad interdisciplinary audience with an interest in migration issues, including sociologists, anthropologists, legal scholars, psychologists, teachers, social workers and decision-makers. It tells and analyses the story of the Nour family: of Djamila and Amin who emigrated from Morocco to France in 1974 and over time raised eight children, one of whom, Djamel, died tragically in adulthood.

It has become a classic in France because of the valuable lessons it has to offer society, and for its insight into the forms of mutual assistance and resistance used by the members of the Nour family, the capital of subjective resources and life experiences on which the children draw, their sources of support and their agency in situations where they find themselves discredited."

François Héran, Professor, Collège de France, ‘Migrations et sociétés’ research chair

Foreword by Ann Phoenix

Introduction

Introducing members of the Nour family

Part I: Childhood memories

1. From one generation to the next

2. The children's voices

3. Building the children's self

Part II: Marital life and the balanced budget

4. The end of Amin's working life

5. Domestic problems

Part III: Becoming Adults

6. Rachid’s psychosis

7. Djamel: delinquency and prison

8. Leïla finds herself: university studies

9. Driss : job hunting

10. The special youth job agency: helping young people or making society safe?

11. Racism and its interactivity

Conclusion

Afterword by Leïla

Postface: Acting in a situation of discredit.

New postface: Ten years on, what has become of them?

Blibliography