YOUNG PEOPLE AND SOCIAL CHANGE. THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRANSITION FROM ADOLESCENCE TO ADULTHOOD

Youth is generally perceived as a temporary and transitory phase from childhood to adulthood, in which the specific social roles experienced as adolescents are gradually replaced by new roles, tasks and responsibilities characterizing adulthood. In contemporary society this shift is achieved through the accomplishment of a number of transition phases. Accordingly, people aged 15-34 years are generally defined as young. Nevertheless, labour market employment, residential independence, marriage and parenthood cannot be considered as essential and sequential steps. In addition, specific features characterising local contexts have a crucial role in the way these steps are achieved. In this work we investigate these topics in order to understand to what extent a single definition of youth cannot describe the whole range of dimensions concerning young people, even within the Italian context.