Selling Our Youth: Graduate Stories of Class, Gender and Work in Challenging Times

Selling Our Youth examines how class origins of recent graduates shape their labor market careers, reproducing class privilege and disadvantage. The Paired Peers research project explores their experiences of the globalized labor market, showing how many struggle to achieve stable and rewarding employment. Government policies of austerity and Covid-19 have made these challenges even tougher, with differences of class and gender impacting graduate trajectories.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 27 June 2022
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited

Selling Our Youth delves into the enduring influence of class origins on the labor market trajectories of recent graduates, perpetuating both class privilege and disadvantage. It sheds light on how class and gender intersect to shape the opportunities and choices available to this generation, often labeled as the first likely to experience economic setbacks compared to their parents.

To explore these dynamics, the authors draw upon the groundbreaking Paired Peers research project, an empirical longitudinal study of recent graduates in England. Through this project, they unveil the struggles faced by many young, well-qualified adults in the context of a globalized labor market characterized by oversupply, precarious work, and exploitative working conditions.

Government policies of austerity, in place during the graduation of this generation in 2013, compounded their challenges by ushering in a lower-wage economy and a housing crisis. The subsequent arrival of Covid-19, with its devastating impacts on both local and global economies, has further exacerbated these challenges.

The authors also delve into the ways in which class and gender disparities shape graduate trajectories, highlighting the different experiences and opportunities available to individuals based on their social backgrounds.

In conclusion, Selling Our Youth serves as a powerful testament to the enduring impact of class origins on the lives and careers of young people. It underscores the need for policies and initiatives that promote equal opportunities and address the structural inequalities that perpetuate class privilege and disadvantage. By understanding the complex interplay between class, gender, and the labor market, we can work towards creating a more equitable and prosperous future for all.

Weight: 248g
Dimension: 130 x 197 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781801172394