Young People Living with the Crisis: Changes in Work and Political Values and Behaviours

Abstract

The economic crisis of 2008 hit young people hard. We have seem soaring levels of NEETs and persistent levels of unemployed young people. In this panel we explore the effects growing up during the crisis has had on two major parts of everyday life; work and politics. Starting with work, in recent years the debate has moved beyond simply employment to also pay attention to the quality of work, such as wages, fixed term or zero hour contracts and over qualification in the youth labour force. There are changes to the conditions in the labour force changing the value of work, with expectations of higher flexibility in where and what you work with, the need for lifelong learning and more than one career. What effect does this context have on the values of work? Does it differ from previous generations? How is it transmitted between generations? Secondly we move to the political domain, has the economic crisis affected the political attitudes and participation of the current generation of young people? And is this linked to the value of work? In summary, this panel explores how the economic crisis and the changes in the labour market for young people are reflected in the attitudes to the value of work among contemporary young Europeans. We also explore the different ways these attitudes may develop, from socialisation, to whether they joined the labour force during or before the recession and some of the consequences of them in terms of wider engagement in society.