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Using the example of families of North-African origin, this paper discusses the issue of change in migrant families. It shows the limits of theoretical approaches that use the concept of acculturation in order to analyze the rearrangements in these families. While highlighting the ethnocentric, essentialist, and evolutionist nature of these theories, this paper suggests using the concept of interculturation. This concept can account for the complexity of processes involved in intercultural encounters. These processes entail closeness and openness, permanency and change, and defensive and adaptive movements.