Exile and the kingdom: integration of an exiled family

The subject of exile is a ubiquitous global theme. The result of multiple factors, it insinuates itself into events affecting people's daily lives and the development of countries. Beyond politics, a psychological reading enables us to reflect on its impact, not only on the individual or group but also in relation to the exiled family. The concept of a mythical or archetypal family can help us to clarify what emerges from contact between two communities and the challenges in their encounter. The study of a specific case - Portuguese families adjusting to life in a French-speaking region of Switzerland - reveals a pattern reproduced elsewhere, even though separate in time and space. The cultural shock emanating from a background and approach of different dynamics leads to psychological resistance on both sides - and to a negative prognosis for cultural integration. Analytical work with exiled children and adolescents allows us to glimpse how this theme intertwines with personal psychologies, pointing to its creative solution through the resolution of conflict and openness to diversity - as carried forward by new generations. It is they who are open to multicultural values, showing simultaneously a respect for ancestry and a desire for renewal.