La carrière des diplomates français : entre parcours individuel et structuration collective

• Main Author: Marc Loriol
• Format: Article
• Language: fra
• Published: Association Internationale des Sociologues de Langue Française 2009-06-01
• Series: Sociologies
• Subjects: embassy; career; work-family balance; diplomat; hierarchy; reputation
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/sociologies/2936

Careers of the French high-ranking civil-servants are, more than in other countries, marked by the importance of the initial training and by some high schools (National School of Administration, polytechnic, etc.). Inside the foreign office, diplomats stemming from the ENA(National Administration School) work with some coming from more specific trainings. Although they all can pretend to the same job, the observation shows that their routes will not be completely identical. All the jobs and the possible affections form a space socially structured on a hierarchical basis and stake in internal fights. In this social space, the reputation acquired within networks of specialization, the personal balance to reconcile professional life and private life, the access to the most prestigious and valued jobs are imbricate in a circular way. During their route, the diplomats develop a specific professional identity and build family arrangements capable of supporting their commitment at work. Because of the alternation between France and foreign countries and of importance of the representation’s work, the career of the diplomats is indeed particularly sensitive to the constraints of the private life and the choices of the spouse or husband.