Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T17:44:50.722Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3 - Entering Adulthood in the Great Recession: A Tale of Three Countries

from Part II - Historical and Life Course Transitions: Economic and Demographic Change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2019

By
Ingrid Schoon  and
John Bynner
Edited by
Ross D. Parke  and
Glen H. Elder, Jr.
Ross D. Parke
Affiliation:
University of California, Riverside
Glen H. Elder, Jr.
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Get access

Summary

In this chapter we review the evidence from a three-country study assessing the impact of the 2008 Great Recession on young people making the step into independent adulthood, comparing experiences in the UK, in Germany, and the USA. Drawing on evidence from large scale, longitudinal studies the experiences of young people coming of age in different cultural contexts are described. The findings suggest that the Great Recession was a significant, but not principal influence on young people’s changing life course post-2008. Better to characterize it as a major economic shock that intensified the impact of pre-existing economic and social processes on young people’s lives.

Nonetheless, the recession effects presented new obstacles to entering and sustaining employment within the adult labor market. In particular the increasing precaritization of employment and marginalization of growing sections of the youth population, including graduates, is a major concern.

Keywords

the Great Recessiona life course perspectiveprecaritization of youth transitionsscripts of lifeemployment transitionspsychological wellbeingcrisis effectsfamily supportwelfare system
Type
Chapter
Information
Children in Changing Worlds
Sociocultural and Temporal Perspectives
 , pp. 57 - 83
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arntz, M., Gregory, T., & Zierahn, U. (2016). The risk of automation for jobs in OECD countries: A comparative analysis. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 189, OECD Publishing, Paris. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5jlz9h56dvq7-enGoogle Scholar
Ashton, D. (2017). Globalization and its impact on the political, economic, and labor market aspects of the youth transition. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 25–51). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Ashton, D. & Bynner, J. (2011). Labour market, employment and skills. In Wadsworth, M. E. J. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), A Companion to Life Course Studies: The social and historical context of the British birth cohort studies. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Beblavý, M., Thum, A.-E., & Veselkova, M. (2011). Education policy and welfare regimes in OECD countries: Social stratification and equal opportunity in education. CEPS Working Document No. 357. http://aei.pitt.edu/33008/1/WD_357_Beblavy_Thum__Veselkova.pdf?Google Scholar
Bell, D. N. F. & Blanchflower, D. G. (2011). Young people and the Great Recession. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 27(2), 241–267. doi:10.1093/oxrep/grr011Google Scholar
Billari, F. C. & Liefbroer, A. C. (2010). Towards a new pattern of transition to adulthood? Advances in Life Course Research, 15(2–3), 59–75. doi:10.1016/j.alcr.2010.10.003Google Scholar
Bloodworth, J. (2018). Hired: Six months undercover in low-wage Britain. London: Atlantic Books.Google Scholar
Blossfeld, H. P., Klijzing, E., Mills, M., & Kurz, K. (Eds.). (2005). Globalization, Uncertainty and Youth in Society. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Blossfeld, P. (2017). Labour market entry in Germany before and after the financial crisis: An analysis of duration of labor market entry, quality of first job and fixed-term employment. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 208–232). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Brückner, H. & Mayer, K. U. (2005). De-standardization of the life course: What does it mean? And if it means anything, whether it actually took place? Advances in Life Course Research, 9, 27–53.Google Scholar
Buchmann, M. C. (1989). The Script of Life in Modern Society: Entry into adulthood in a changing world. Chicago: Chicago University Press.Google Scholar
Buchmann, M. C. & Kriesi, I. (2011). Transition to adulthood in Europe. Annual Review of Sociology, 37, 481–503.Google Scholar
Bynner, J. (2001). British youth transitions in comparative perspective. Journal of Youth Studies, 4(1), 5–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bynner, J. & Parsons, S. (2002). Social exclusion and the transition from school to work: The case of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET). Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60(2), 289–309.Google Scholar
Carson, E. A. (2014). Prisoners in 2013. Revised in September 2014. US Department of Justice, Bulletin. NCJ 247282.Google Scholar
Cavanagh, S. (2017). Impact of the Great Recession on young adult health: The significance of social class. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 425–444). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Crosnoe, R. & Smith, C. (2017). Structural advantages, personal capacities and young adult functioning during the Great Recession. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 129–153). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Danzinger, S. (2013). Evaluating the effects of the recession. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 650, 6–24.Google Scholar
Elder, G. H. (1999). Children of the Great Depression: Social change in life experience (25th Anniversary Edition). Boulder, CO: Westview Press (Originally published in 1974, University of Chicago Press).Google Scholar
Elder, G. H., Shanahan, M. J., & Jennings, J. A. (2015). Human development in time and place. In Bornstein, M. H. & Leventhal, L. T. (Eds.), Ecological Settings and Processes in Developmental Systems (Vol. 4, pp. 6–54). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.Google Scholar
Esping-Anderson, G. (1990). The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Evans, K. (2002). Taking control of their lives? Agency in young adult transitions in England and the New Germany. Journal of Youth Studies, 5, 245–271.Google Scholar
Furlong, A. & Cartmel, F. (2007). Young People and Social Change (2nd ed.). Buckingham: Open University Press.Google Scholar
Goldthorpe, J. H. (2016). Social class mobility in modern Britain: Changing structure, constant process. Journal of the British Academy, 4, 89–111. doi:10.5871/jba/004.089Google Scholar
Goodwin, J. & O’Connor, H. (2005). Exploring complex transitions: Looking back at the “golden age” of from school to work. Sociology, 39(2), 201–220.Google Scholar
Green, A. & Pensiero, N. (2017). Comparative perspectives: Education and training system effects on youth transitions and opportunities. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 75–100). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Groh-Samberg, O. & Wise, R. (2017). Education and employment transitions in Germany before and after the financial crisis. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 177–207). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grusky, D., Western, B., & Wimer, C. (2012). The Great Recession. New York: Russel Sage.Google Scholar
Heinz, W. R. (2009). Structure and agency in transition research. Journal of Education and Work. Special issue: Continuity and change in 40 years of school to work transitions, 22, 391–404.Google Scholar
Iacovou, M. (2017). Young people’s experiences of employment and unemployment across Europe: Evidence from the EU-SILC. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 103–128). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
ILO (2017). Global employment trends for youth 2017: Paths to a better working future. International Labour Organization. www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_598669.pdfGoogle Scholar
Janmaat, J. G. (2017). The impact of the recession on young people’s satisfaction with democratic politics. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 372–400). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Jones, G. (2009). From paradigm to paradox: Parental support and transitions to independence. In Schoon, I. & Silbereisen, K. R. (Eds.), Transitions from School to Work: Globalisation, individualisation, and patterns of diversity (pp. 145–164). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Kiernan, K. (2008). Marriage and cohabitation. European Journal of Population-Revue Europeenne De Demographie, 24(3), 341–342. doi:10.1007/s10680-008-9154-xGoogle Scholar
Leccardi, C. (2017). The recession, young people, and their relationship with the future. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 348–371). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Lyons-Amos, M. & Schoon, I. (2017). Employment and family transitions in the UK: Trends before and after the Great Recession. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 297–317). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Macmillan, R. (Ed.) (2005). The Structure of the Life Course: Standardized? Individualized? Differentiated? Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar
Mathews, T. J. & Brady, E. H. (2002). National vital statistics reports. www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr51/nvsr51_01.pdf. 51(1)Google Scholar
Mont’Alva, A., Mortimer, J., & Kirkpatrick Johnson, M. (2017). The Great Recession and youth labor market outcomes in international perspective. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 52–74). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mortimer, J., Kirkpatrick Johnson, M., & Mont’Alva, A. (2017). Economic recession and youth achievement orientations. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 321–347). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mortimer, J., Zhang, L., Hussemann, J., & Wu, C.-Y. (2014). Parental economic hardship and children’s achievement orientations. Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, 5, 105–128.Google Scholar
Müller, W. & Gangl, M. (Eds.). (2003). Transitions from Education to Work in Europe: The integration of youth into EU labour markets. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Neels, K., Murphy, M., NíBhrolcháin, M., & Beaujouan, É. (2017). Rising educational participation and the trend to later childbearing. Population and Development Review, 43(4), 667–693. doi:10.111/padr.12112Google Scholar
Neugarten, D. (1996). The Meanings of Age: Selected papers of Bernice Neugarten Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
OECD. (2008). Growing unequal? Income distribution and poverty in OECD countries. Retrieved from www.oecd.org/els/social/inequalityGoogle Scholar
Pförtner, T.-K., Elgar, F. J., Rathmann, K., & Richter, M. (2017). The Great Recession, health, and health inequalities of adolescents in North America, Europe, and Israel. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 401–424). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Schoon, I. (2007). Adaptations to changing times: Agency in context. International Journal of Psychology, 42(2), 94–101. doi:10.1080/00207590600991252CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schoon, I., (2014). Parental worklessness and the experience of NEET among their offspring: Evidence from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE). Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, 6(6), 129–150.Google Scholar
Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.). (2017). Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Schoon, I. & Lyons-Amos, M. (2016). Diverse pathways in becoming an adult: The role of structure, agency and context. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 46, 11–20. doi:10.1016/j.rssm.2016.02.008Google Scholar
Schoon, I., (2017). A socio-ecological model of agency: The role of structure and agency in shaping education and employment transitions in England. Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, 8(1), 35–56. doi:10.14301/llcs.v8i1.404Google Scholar
Schoon, I. & Mortimer, J. (2017). Youth and the Great Recession: Are values, achievement orientation and outlook to the future affected? International Journal of Psychology, 52(1), 1–8. doi:10.1002/ijop.12400CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schoon, I. & Silbereisen, K. R. (Eds.). (2009). Transitions from School to Work: Globalisation, individualisation, and patterns of diversity. New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Settersten, R. A. (2007). The new landscape of adult life: Road maps, signposts, and speed lines Research in Human Development, 4, 239–252.Google Scholar
Settersten, R. A. Furstenberg, F. F., & Rumbaut, R. G. (2005). On the Frontier of Adulthood: Theory, research, and public policy. Chicago, IL; London: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Settersten, R. A. & Ray, B. (2010). What’s going on with young people today? The long and twisting path to adulthood. Future of Children, 20(1), 19–41.Google Scholar
Shanahan, M. J. (2000). Pathways to adulthood in changing societies: Variability and mechanisms in life course perspective. Annual Review of Sociology, 26, 667–692.Google Scholar
Shane, J. & Heckhausen, J. (2017). It’s only a dream if you wake up: Young adults’ achievement expectations, opportunities, and meritocratic beliefs. International Journal of Psychology, 52(1), 40–48. doi:10.1002/ijop.12408Google Scholar
Staff, J., Ramirez, N., & Cundiff, K. (2017). The vanishing teenage worker in the United States. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 154–176). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Standing, G. (2011). The Precariat: The new dangerous class. London: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar
van Kersbergen, K., Vis, B., & Hemerijck, A. (2012). The Great Recession and welfare state reform: Is retrenchment really the only game left in town? Social Policy and Administration, 48(7), 883–904. doi:10.1111/spol.12063Google Scholar
Vuolo, M., Mortimer, J. T., & Staff, J. (2016). The value of educational degrees in turbulent economic times: Evidence from the Youth Development Study. Social Science Research, 57, 233–252. doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2015.12.014Google Scholar
Walling, A. & Clancy, G. (2010). Underemployment in the UK labour market. Economic & Labour Market Review, 4(2), 16–24.Google Scholar
Walper, S. & Friedrich, S. (2017). Impact of the recession on family dynamics and youth well-being: Findings from the German Family Panel (Pairfam). In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 269–296). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Walther, A. (2009). “It was not my choice, you know?” Young people’s subjective views and decision-making processes in biographical transitions. In Schoon, I. & Silbereisen, R. K. (Eds.), Transitions from School to Work: Globalisation, individualisation, and patterns of diversity (pp. 121–144). New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Wightman., P., Schoeni, R. F., Patrick, M. E., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2017). Transitioning to adulthood in the wake of the Great Recession: Family context and consequences. In Schoon, I. & Bynner, J. (Eds.), Young People’s Development and the Great Recession: Uncertain transitions and precarious futures (pp. 235–268). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Wolf, A. (2011). Review of vocational education. The Wolf Report. Department of Education. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/180504/DFE-00031-2011.pdfGoogle Scholar
Wolf, A. (2016). Remaking tertiary education: Can we create a system that is fair and fit for purpose? Education Policy Institute. http://epi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/remaking-tertiary-education-web.pdfGoogle Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×