The Personal Experiences of Young Educated French Individuals and Mid-Career Graduates

Abstract

The personal experiences of young and mid-career French graduates and students underpin this inquiry. This chapter is therefore devoted to analysing the predicaments they faced at the time of the study in their quest to establish themselves as proactive members of French society and to give voice to their sensitivities toward the administrative bodies governing their particular situation. The views of groups, the French nationals and the expatriates are explored in this chapter and in Chapter 6 as the issues prevalent in French society are intertwined and have determined their personal circumstances. The testimonials of expatriates provide justification for their departure and those of the French nationals demonstrate their disgruntled state as many are largely trapped by conditions that preclude their departure. Bourdieu’s (1977) theories on cultural capital and the social construction of French society, meritocracy and economic rewards also feature in this chapter in order to provide the framework for discussions on the experiences of both groups.