Changing Times, Changing Lives: The Construction and Deconstruction of Youth in East and West

Abstract: This report considers the situation of young people in Eastern and Western Europe. It draws upon theories of youth and data about them from both halves of Europe in order to draw comparisons. The report begins by considering the main theories of youth in each context. The report argues that youth as an age category is a product of processes of European modernization which have served to construct youth. However, recent trends such as flexibilisation in the labour market, the expansionof education and rising youth unemployment have helped to extend the period of youth and could be described as post-modernising tendencies: they deconstruct youth as an age category. However, the authors are able to point examples of both tendenciesin contemporary European societies. The report covers the field of the historical youth movements, education and work, family life-course, youth cultures and young people in politics.