Fred Cartmel

Reviews of the first edition“Not only does the clarity of the authors’ writing make the book very accessible, but their argument is also illustrated throughout with a broad range of empirical material … undoubtedly a strong contribution to the study of both contemporary youth and ‘late-modern’ society.” Youth Justice“A very accessible, well-evidenced and important book … It succeeds in raising important questions in a new and powerful way.” Journal of Education and Work“the book will be very popular with students and with academics….. The clarity of the organization, expression and argument is particularly commendable. I have no doubt that Young People and Social Change will rightly find its way onto the recommended reading lists of many in the field.” Professor Robert MacDonald, University of Teesside A welcome update to one of the most influential and authoritative books on young people in modern societies. With a fuller theoretical explanation and drawing on a comprehensive range of studies from Europe, North America, Australia and Japan, the second edition of Young People and Social Change is a valuable contribution to the field. The authors examine modern theoretical interpretations of social change in relation to young people and provide an overview of their experiences in a number of key contexts such as education, employment, the family, leisure, health, crime and politics. Building on the success of the previous edition, the second edition offers an expanded theoretical approach and wider coverage of empirical data to take into account worldwide developments in the field. Drawing on a wealth of research evidence, the book highlights key differences between the experiences of young people in different countries in the developed world. Young People and Social Change offers a wide-ranging and up-to-date introductory text for students in sociology of youth, sociology of education, social stratification and related fields.

While the expansion of Higher Education has resulted in an increase in the numbers of disadvantaged young people attending university, the benefits of participation are unclear. This report focuses on the young people's progress from full-time study into the graduate labour market. It highlights the difficulties they encounter and the different types of employment gained. The authors consider whether the time and money the young people invested in Higher Education has paid off in terms of the standards of education achieved, employment outcomes, and the young people's perceptions of themselves, their careers and their lives in general. Graduates from disadvantaged families is essential reading for careers advisers, recruitment personnel, and researchers with an interest in Higher Education and the graduate labour market. It will also be valuable reading for academics, practitioners and policy makers in the fields of education, social policy, youth and labour market studies. Two earlier reports, also published by The Policy Press, are Losing out? Socioeconomic disadvantage and experience in further and higher education (2003) and Socioeconomic disadvantage and access to higher education (2000).