The Family

Chapter 1 examines the crucial role of family rupture in the life trajectories of homeless individuals, showing how early experiences of conflict, neglect, violence, or institutional failure often initiate processes of social exclusion. Drawing on narratives from France and the United States, it analyses how the bond of filiation, especially within the nuclear family, is shaped, weakened, or severed before and during homelessness. The first section explores early family relationships, contrasting supportive or ambivalent ties with those marked by violence and instability. New York informants more often report parental violence. Leaving home, whether as escape or gradual detachment, also reveals national contrasts, with ruptures appearing less definitive in France. The second section investigates the evolution of family dynamics once homelessness begins. While some, particularly in France, preserve fragile forms of solidarity, others experience complete disconnection, especially in Midtown Manhattan. Finally, the chapter shows how certain individuals rebuild belonging through extended family, families of procreation, or relationships with adoptive parents or guardians, most notably in the United States context.