The sociological delimitacion of youth

Authors

  • Ignasi Brunet Universitat Rovira i Virgili
  • Alejandro Pizzi Universidad de Valencia

Abstract

This paper addresses the conceptualizations existing about the sociological category of youth. Firstly, we present the functionalist conceptualization of cycles of life and the biographical conceptualization in depth, which can be also called transition sociology. The biographical conceptualization arises from the work crisis in the mid 70, which had an impact in the increasing of unemployment rate and the backwardness of stable employment. Secondly, we present the nominalist conceptualization, which is based on the theory of the generations of Mannheim. Finally, the conclusion stresses that one of the challenges in our field of research is the sociological delimitation of youth, and, consequently, a solution has to be found.

Keywords:

transition, generation, social class

Author Biographies

Ignasi Brunet, Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Catedrático de Sociología. Director del Grupo de investigación Análisis Social y Organizativo de la Universidad Rovira i Virgili, España. Director de la revista científica Revista Internacional de Organizaciones y director del comité de investigación sobre sociología organizacional de la Federación Española de Sociología. E-Mail: ignasi.brunet@urv.es.

Alejandro Pizzi, Universidad de Valencia

Doctor en Sociología y catedrático Universidad de Valencia, España. Licenciado en Sociología de la Universidad de Buenos Aires y Magíster en Sociología Económica del Instituto de Altos Estudios Sociales, Universidad Nacional General San Martín, Buenos Aires. E-Mail: alejandro.pizzi@uv.es.