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Transitions to Adulthood of ‘At Risk’ Young Men: New Analysis from Two Norwegian Qualitative Longitudinal Studies
Author(s) -
Solem MayBritt,
Helgeland Ingeborg Marie,
Brannen Julia,
Phoenix Ann
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
children and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0860
pISSN - 0951-0605
DOI - 10.1111/chso.12369
Subject(s) - norwegian , futures contract , psychological resilience , identity (music) , context (archaeology) , masculinity , developmental psychology , young adult , early adulthood , psychology , longitudinal study , qualitative research , boundary work , sociology , gender studies , social psychology , medicine , social science , paleontology , philosophy , linguistics , physics , pathology , acoustics , financial economics , economics , biology
This paper focuses on two cohorts of Norwegian young men whose behaviour in childhood and adolescence caused serious concern to their parents, teachers, social workers and, in some cases, the police, Despite having been identified as ‘at risk’, they made transitions to positive adult masculine identities in two different historical contexts; the 1980s and 2000s. The paper analyses the difference that historical context makes to these young men’s lives, their gendered identity work and their perspectives on their past, present and future. In particular, it identifies the ways in which supportive intergenerational relationships and significant others serve to produce positive turning points and, over time, help the young men to develop resilience and potentially happy and successful futures.