WP 4: Marginalization of young people

The lives of young adults in Europe have changed in recent years. Young Europeans have been hit harder by the economic crisis than adults, and there is a general trend that young adults need longer than previous generations to reach milestones of adulthood. This concerns above all their leaving from the parental home, the completion of their education, their entrance into the job market or the start of a family. These changes are also reflected in the political behavior of young adults. Dissatisfied with the traditional parties and their policies, they turn to non-institutionalized forms of political participation or support protest parties with Eurosceptic or far-right tendencies.

Against this background of a prolonged and turbulent youth, this work package will examine the causes, consequences, and interactions between economic and political marginalization. Among other things, it deals with the potential changes in the political attitudes and behavior of young people and their influence on social cohesion. Analyzing survey data on the attitudes, values, political participation and economic, political and social integration of young adults, the work package will provide innovative insights into the causes, consequences and potential measures of the marginalization of young adults.

Lead: Prof. Dr. Jale Tosun, Dr. Roula Nezi
Associate: Bettina Schuck, Heidi Schulze, Prof. Dr. Ingvill C. Mochmann, Julia Weiß, Kathrin Busch

Institute: Universität Heidelberg, GESIS