Mapping Aspirations: Identity and life chances among young adults in a globalizing world

• Does a reflexive imperative, which characterize late modernity, increases the demands on young adults' reflexive abilities? And is this ability in turn related to specific social conditions that generate more or less useful resources? One possible analytical approach for future studies will concern the question of what role habit plays today and the extent to which habit is replaced by an increased reflexivity, which in turn emerged from a reflexive imperative that complicate intergenerational socialization in its traditional form. The hypothesis is that intergenerational socialization is still an important factor, although its character has changed in the direction of the transfer of internalized resources in terms of self-esteem, confidence and action competence, which in turn affects the individual's reflexive attitude and their "Modus Vivendi". This also creates new tensions, which increases the self-exploitation for some groups; overloaded by the diffused demand for personal commitment and self-realization many young people develop feelings of insufficiency and exhaustion. Other group’s find it increasingly difficult establish them in the labour market in general, which creates a situation of hopelessness and alienation. This seems to be true both in Sweden and India. The cultural differences, however, means that a number of other structural dimensions complicate the understanding of young adults' lives in the two countries. Not the least, caste and religion play an important role for the life-chances of young people in India, and it exerts a strong influence on their conceptions of work and a good life.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Young Adults

Labour Market

Aspirations

Work

Globalization

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)