YOUNG

Postfeminist and neoliberal ideologies limit young women’s ability to identify and respond to sexism. Although some young women can identify sexism, many find it difficult to reconcile that sexism continues to persist. This study explored the ways young women understand and navigate sexism. In-depth interviews and a focus group were conducted with 11 young women (15–16 years old) from an all-girls’ secondary college in Melbourne, Australia. Young women discussed sexism in multiple ways—sexism as fear, as double standards and as something of the past. Although not naïve to the impacts of gender, these young women were resigned to sexism being an inherent part of girlhood. Centring the voices of young women on the issue of sexism, this study fosters understanding of the ways in which young women negotiate sexism so they can be supported to develop their critical awareness and responses to sexism.

Research and politics on digitalization is divided into supporters of autonomy of tech industry, proponents of public regulation and into those seeing internet as a public service. It is suggested that in many countries, digital youth work has adopted a pro-tech industry techno-optimistic view on digitalization. However, increasing knowledge indicates how tech industry abuses young people and creates harms, such as addiction to social media and e-gaming. A widespread complacency about digital means prevails among young people and youth workers. Youth work is narrowly focused on technical skills, while the broad context of the tech company domination and its harms is neglected. To counteract complacency, this article describes the obstacles to understand digitalization critically. The educational response should be awareness-raising of youth workers and young people through young people’s digital rights, critical digital literacy, non-formal learning and young people’s own agency. Finally, a new definition of digital youth work is presented.

This article examines the role of social capital within families and its interaction with parental socio-economic status in shaping the likelihood of young adults in Germany experiencing episodes of not being in employment, education or training (NEET). Using longitudinal data from the German Family Panel (pairfam), we reconstruct trajectories for the initial 5 years after leaving school that include the occurrence and persistence of NEET episodes. The findings indicate that family social capital, in particular parent–child communication built on trust and feelings of emotional security towards parents, can lower the risk of long-lasting and recurring NEET episodes. Moreover, high levels of family social capital can even out differences in the likelihood of experiencing NEET episodes according to socio-economic background.

Belonging is a fundamental human need strongly linked to psychological well-being and social adjustment. This need is particularly salient for ethnic minority adolescents who often face prejudice and other challenges both in school and in broader society. This article investigates the association between the sense of school belonging and societal belonging among ethnic minority adolescents in the Czech Republic. Using multilevel regression models, we analyse data from the minority subsample (age 15–16) of the Czech Education Panel Survey (n = 2,122). Results show a positive association between the two types of belonging, even when perceived support from family, peers and teachers is taken into account. This association is stronger among Ukrainians than among other ethnic minorities. Our findings suggest that fostering societal belonging among ethnic minority youth may strengthen their connection to school. These results highlight the importance of inclusive policies that support social integration and academic adjustment of diverse student populations.

Youth suicide is a personal and social tragedy generally understood as an individual phenomenon while sociocultural approaches are overlooked. This meta-analysis of 26 qualitative research articles maps the theories and concepts of youth suicide applied within social scientific research, contributing to a social meta-theory of how youth suicide is approached and explained. The findings reveal that social scientific approaches bring forth the lack of a sense of belonging associated with youth suicide, either within society as a whole, within specific subgroups, or in family relationships. The main conclusion of the study is that the social frames of youth suicide research define the space occupied by youth as becoming independent members in society. Struggles related to young people’s search for an adult identity within various social roles and expectations can engender desperate emotions, sometimes leading to harmful decisions such as taking one’s own life as a means of escape.