Raymond Williams and contemporary youth transitions: a cultural studies critique of social generational approaches in youth studies

Abstract

By exploring housing transitions and their impact on the leisure practices of 12, white, British economically ‘middling’ men aged between 20 and 26 whilst utilising the work of British cultural theorist Raymond Williams, this article articulates a cultural studies critique of social generational approaches. Firstly, it shows how this approach to young lives can remedy the ‘base’ determining ‘superstructure’ logic underpinning social generational approaches. Secondly, drawing on Williams’ concepts can foreground culture as constitutive of contemporary transitional pathways. Finally, this approach can continue the impetus of ‘blending’ of cultural and transitional approaches found within social generational approaches. Doing so will show how a cultural studies approach can help supplement insights into continuity and change within contemporary young lives whilst still enabling a critical focus on class, gender and race. Taken together, this article looks to enable a productive engagement with social generational approaches to critically interrogate the experiences of young people in ever-changing social, cultural, economic and political contexts.