Configurations sociales et spatiales de deux quartiers « politique de la ville » contrastés. Éléments d’observation comparés

This paper is based on an ethnological research on the Youth day-to-day life in two deprived areas of the suburbs, « les quartiers ». A couple of researchers remained three monthes in each area, living with the young people.We chose to study those two areas in two different medium cities, one of them being a traditionally middle-class city, the other a traditionally working class one, with a vivid history of social and economical struggles integrated to its life. The social differences between the city centres were essential to understand the situation of their deprived areas.Space organisation and the function of the city centre have crucial consequences on the social organisation of the young people. It appears that the feeling of being relegated, aggressed, is greatly determined by the map, the landscape of the area, and the social and economic position of the actor. Living in an enclosed area, as in the first « quartier », leads to difficulties to go out, in real and psychological terms, hence, to find a job. Travelling in and out the area depends greatly on the point above but, in both types of areas the girls are seldom present in the public space, in relation with the culture of the dominant minority, that spreads upon the others. If the deprived area is an enclosed one, the young males use to go to the city centre in groups, securing themselves in an hostile surrounding. At the reverse, in an « open area » individualisation and integration is possible