Summary
Contents
What is youth? How do we understand youth in its social and cultural context?In this timely and sought-after title, Cieslik and Simpson provide a concise and readily accessible introduction to the interdisciplinary field of youth studies. Drawing upon the latest research and developments in the field, as well as discussing the fundamental ideas underlying the disciplines as a whole, it offers a comprehensive yet unpacked understanding of youth as a social phenomenon. Illuminating the many abstract and contested concepts within youth studies, this book offers explanations to questions such as: • How might we define youth? • How can we understand young people in relation to their social identities and practices? • What is the relationship between youth and social class? • How do youth cultures develop? • How can we understand youth in a globalized perspective? Key Concepts in Youth Studies stands out as a natural companion for students on youth studies, sociology, criminology and social science programmes. It will also be useful for youth practitioners such as social workers and teachers. Key Concepts in Youth Studies stands out as a natural companion for students on youth studies, sociology, criminology and social science programmes. It will also be useful for practitioners in area of social work and youth and community development.
Young People and Gender
Young People and Gender
Gender is central to any attempt to make sense of young people's lives. When young people describe themselves, their maleness and femaleness is at the heart of their attempts to represent their social identities. Though our biological status as boy or girl seems unproblematic physiologically the social significance of our sex – how it is played out culturally politically and economically – is much more complex. Social scientists argue that these concepts of masculinity and femininity vary greatly historically and culturally and are linked to the unequal distribution of opportunities and resources. Because of this distinctive social construction of gender, young people's life chances and the quality of life they experience are profoundly shaped by the gendered ...
