From the Bourgeoisie to the Life of an Artist: Crises of Succession and Anticipatory Socialization

How should we understand certain individuals’ orientation toward the unsettled, uncertain (although relatively prestigious) life of an artist? This article is based on biographical analyses trajectories actors and actresses from economic fractions upper classes, focuses in particular family inheritance. The attraction to artistic field makes sense connection with artists’ rejection a inheritance perceived be bourgeois or petty bourgeois, embodied ambitions expectations their parents. stems two interconnected logics: one hand, desire not reproduce social domination male experienced within artist’s place origin; other, adherence artist its structuring beliefs (vocation, individuality, disinterest). Ultimately, these artists show how relations (here, primarily class sex) can intertwine shape aspiring hopes, even before they have formulated career plan engaged any training—thus demonstrating type anticipatory socialization.