Social Construction of Youth and Formation of Generational Awareness after Socialism

MARADA, Radim. Social Construction of Youth and Formation of Generational Awareness after Socialism. In Society, Reproduction and Contemporary Challenges. Brno: Barrister & Principal, 2004, p. 149-168. mimo edice. ISBN 80-86598-67-5.

Basic information

• Original name: Social Construction of Youth and Formation of Generational Awareness after Socialism
• Name in Czech: Sociální konstrukce mládí a formování generaního povdomí po socialismu
• Authors: MARADA, Radim (203 Czech Republic, guarantor).
• Edition: Brno, Society, Reproduction and Contemporary Challenges, p. 149-168, 20 pp. mimo edice, 2004.
• Publisher: Barrister & Principal

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Chapter(s) of a specialized book
• Field of Study: 50000 5. Social Sciences
• Country of publisher: Czech Republic
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14230/04:00011065
• Organization unit: Faculty of Social Studies
• ISBN: 80-86598-67-5
• Keywords in English: Generations; Generational conflict; Youth; Identity; Self-representation; Socialization; Revolution; Socialism; Post-socialism; Consequence free zone
• Tags: Consequence free zone, Generational conflict, Generations, identity, post-socialism, Revolution, Self-representation, socialism, socialization, youth
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

The essay pursues the question of how the sensitivity/identity of youth has been constructed in social processes accompanying and following the 1989 political regime change in the Czech Republic, and in a post-communist context in general. This question is related throughout the essay to the process of articulation of inter-generational divisions stirred up by the revolutionary upheavals and by consequent societal developments. It contests the thesis that after socialism young people have been left in a state of institutional and cultural limbo, at least regarding their opportunities to develop a distinct sensitivity or identity of youth as a specific social category of actors. It is argued that, to the contrary, increasing autonomy and pluralism of choices for identifications with various representations of a youth culture are conducive to the social-psychological process of developing a distinct and socially effective identity of being no longer a child, and not yet an adult. Then the essay focuses upon an emerging generational division between the so called revolutionary young generation of 1989 and a post-revolutionary young generation of today, it describes some major differences in their socializing environments, and also some of the characteristics that distinguish one from the other. By way of this description, it also attempts to show how dramatic historical events intensify and accelerate the process of generation formation.

Abstract (in Czech)

Kapitola sleduje otázku konstrukce identity mládí v kontextu revoluních a porevoluních zmn po roce 1989 v eské republice a v post-komunistických spolenostech obecn. Tato otázka je v kapitole vztažena k procesu artikulace mezigeneraních vztah, vyvolané revoluní situací. Ukazuje, jak zmnné politické a sociální podmínky intervenují do procesu utváení mládí coby svébytné sociální kategorie a zdroje identity, piemž zdrazuje úlohu individuální autonomie a plurality voleb pro identifikaci s rznými reprezentacemi kultury mládí. Poté se zamuje na artikulované mezigeneraní rozdíly mezi 1) revoluní a porevoluní generací mladých a 2) mezi tmito generacemi a staršími generacemi socializovanými v pedrevoluních podmínkách. Tento popis slouží k ilustraci obecného procesu akcelerace a intenzifikace formování generaního vdomí v kontextu dramatických historických událostí.

Links

• MSM 142300002, plan (intention): Name: Děti, mládež a rodina v transformaci (Acronym: MLADĚRO)

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Children, Youth and Family in Transition