Récits et mise en mots des bifurcations professionnelles dans les parcours de vie

Abstract

This paper questions people’s bifurcation stories in life course. This research is based on a set of 55 life stories from people who had experienced professional voluntary conversion. First we investigate the effect of narrative and of storytelling on decision making process. In professional bifurcations, discourse seems to be a base for action. It works on two levels. On the one hand, when the person reveals their intention of professional conversion, the discourse engages action. « Telling opens the possibility of action ». On the other hand, discourse could have a performative effect: « telling is like acting ». Individuals use discourse as a tool for reconversion. We suggest that acting is already included in storytelling, the action is anticipated. The organisation of discourse prefigures action at the same time. R. Koselleck with his concept of “experience” highlight the fact that perception of past and future anticipation is in a perpetual movement, where fundamental events represent irreversibility. A second question will concern significant configurations in bifurcation telling.