Youth Studies

Youth studies is an area of inquiry, found chiefly in English-speaking countries, that falls largely within the boundaries of cultural studies. The latter is an academic domain that is radically interdisciplinary, almost to the point of being trans- or anti-disciplinary. The term studies indicates, nevertheless, that this field owes its approach to the humanities rather than the empirical sciences, to a tradition of study rather than research. In that regard, it resembles childhood studies. This entry discusses the history of youth studies and the challenges related to exploring the different aspects of this complex stage of life and its culture.