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.