This title was first published in 2001. An international exploration of citizenship and empowerment, investigating a variety of geopolitical contexts and featuring empirical studies, theoretical approaches and examples of projects designed to empower youth. It addresses issues of crucial importance for both contemporary young people and social policy.

Contents: Introduction: The state and prospects of youth and citizenship, Helena Helve and Claire Wallace. Youth, Citizenship and Empowerment in Comparative Perspective: Youth, citizenship and empowerment, Claire Wallace; Civic participation among young people in Europe, Reingard Spannring, Claire Wallace and Christian Haerpfer. Citizenship and Power: Critical discussion: empowerment or exclusion?, John Bynner; Young people’s participation in local development: lip service or serious business?, Liisa Horelli; The operative contingency of institutions and young fortuna in the risk society, Kari Paakkunainen; Mixed motives of young Nordic volunteers, Marianne Nylund; Young adults and shared household living: achieving independence through the (re)negotiation of peer relationships, Sue Heath and Liz Kenyon. Citizenship and Marginality: Critical discussion: from the margins - the darker side of empowerment, Lynne Chisholm; Skinheads - masculinity and violent action, Tarja Hilden; The racialization of youth gangs: when violence turns into a fight over a turf, Timo Virtanen; Economy of emotions and sexual violence against adolescent girls, Sari Näre; Foreigners as a strategic construction: Finnish young people’s accounts of immigrants, Leena Suurpää. Citizenship, Values and Attitudes: Critical discussion: modern or postmodern youth?, Gill Jones; Reflexivity and changes in attitudes and value structures, Helena Helve; Young people’s values and their lifestyles, Sakari Karvonen and Ossi Rahkonen; National, political and cultural identities of youth: tendencies in Post-Soviet Ukraine, Arseniy Svynarenko. New actors, Networks and Empowerment: Critical discussion: globalization and empowerment, Pat Allatt; The globalization of childhood and youth: new actors and networks in protecting street children and working children in the South, Mojibur Rahman; Youth creation of civil society in Slovakia, Ladislav Machácek; From urban warrior to market segment? Youth in Sou

’Is there a European young citizen in the making who promotes and reflects the economic, political and institutional integration of Europe and maintains his/her cultural identity? This question is tackled by the contributions in the book...presents revealing analyses...’ Professor Walter R. Heinz, University of Bremen, Germany '...valuable and interesting insights into the lives of young people in various parts of the world. This reader was encouraged by the range and sophistication of the issues and debates covered in this volume...will appeal to all readers interested in the latest developments in youth research.' Youth and Policy