Studying the Problems of Youth "Transitions" in European Countries

This article analyzes the research on European youth policy. The subject of the study is the main trends, typology, and principles of functioning of youth "transitions" in European countries. The need to study the phenomenon of youth "transitions" is relevant and timely as today, there is no generally accepted view on the ways to study these processes. The methodological basis of the study was analysis and synthesis, as well as institutional, systemic, and comparative approaches. Based on the studied material, the authors conclude that when considering strategies for youth "transitions," it is necessary to consider several institutional areas, such as the type of socially-oriented state and the specifics of the transition from study to work. The interaction of these strategies provides different models of youth transitions. These studies highlight important interethnic differences depending on the modes of distribution of social assistance, types of capitalism, as well as growth strategies. Thus, we have considered various strategies for structuring the transition to adulthood: to explain the different models of youth "transitions," it is necessary to consider several institutional areas, such as the type of socially oriented state and the specifics of the transition from study to work. The interaction of these strategies gives different models of youth transitions. Although many European researchers argue that age policy is important in this regard due to the aging of society and the growth of "gray power," most of the works devoted to this issue actually refute the hypothesis of bias in favor of the elderly: these studies emphasize important interethnic differences depending on the modes of distribution of social assistance, types of capitalism, as well as growth strategies. As a result, we conclude that young people should be considered part of society as a whole, and, therefore, to understand how they move into adulthood, it is necessary to see the full institutional, political, and economic picture.

young people, social security, youth policy, youth transitions, European states, welfare state, typology of youth transitions, youth transition patterns, social citizenship, education system