Examining how youths in 14 industrialized societies make the transition to adulthood in an era of globalization and uncertainty, this book features an array of international contributions, and includes case studies and original empirical data.

Examining how youths in fourteen industrialized societies make the transition to adulthood in an era of globalization and rising uncertainty, this collection of essays investigates the impact that institutions working with social groups of youths have upon those youths' abilities to make adult decisions determining their life courses. Covering both Europe and North America, the book includes case studies, and contains country-specific contributions on conservative, social-democratic, post-socialist, liberal and familistic welfare regimes, as well as data from the GLOBALIFE project. Filling the gap in the market on the micro effects of globalization on individuals, and taking an empirical approach to the topic, this impressive volume brings the individual and nation-specific institutions back into the discussion on globalization.

Part 1 Introduction 1. Globalization, Uncertainty and the Early Life Course: A theoretical framework Melinda Mills and Hans-Peter Blossfeld 2. Globalization and the Early Life Course: A description of selected economic and demographic trends Erik Klijzing Part 2 Country-Specific Contributions on Conservative Welfare Regimes 3. Case Study Germany: Global competition, uncertainty and the transition to adulthood Karin Kurz, Nikolei Steinhage and Katrin Golsch 4. Transition From Youth to Adulthood in The Netherlands AArt C Liefbroer 5. The Case of France: Family formation in an uncertain labor market Annick Kieffer, Catherine Marry, Monique Meron and Anne Solaz Part 3 Country-Specific Contributions on Social-Democratic Welfare Regimes 6. Elements of Uncertainty in Life Courses: Transitions to adulthood in Sweden Magnus Bygren, Ann-Zofie Duvander and Mia Hultin 7. Transitions to Adulthood in Norway Oivind Anti Nilsen Part 4 Country-Specific Contributions on Post-Socialist Welfare Regimes 8. The Effects of the Globalization Process on the Transition to Adulthood in Hungary Peter Robert and Erzsebut Bukodi 9. Transition to Adulthood in Estonia: Evidence from the FFS Kalev Katus, Allan Puur and Luule Sakkeus Part 5 Country-Specific Contributions on Liberal Welfare Regimes 10. The Process of Globalization and Transition to Adulthood in Britain Marco Francesconi and Katrin Golsch 11. The Transition to Adulthood in Canada: The impact of irregular work shifts in a 24-hour economy Melinda Mills 12. The Case of the American Women: Globalization and the transition to adulthood in an individualistic regime Rosalind Berkowitz King Part 6 Country-Specific Contributions on Familistic Welfare Regimes 13. Globalization and the Transition to Adulthood in Mexico Emilio A Parrado 14. Globalization and the Transition to Adulthood in Italy Fabrizio Bernardi and Tiziana Nazio 15. The Spanish Case: The effects of the globalization process on the transition to adulthood Carles Simo Noguera, Teresa Castro Martin and Asuncion Soro Bonmati 16. Ireland and Economic Globalization: The experiences of a small open economy Richard Layte, Philip J. O'Connell, Tony Fahey and Selina MCCoy Part 7 Conclusions and Discussion 17. Becoming an Adult in Uncertain Times: A 14-country comparison of the losers of globalization Melinda Mills, Hans-Peter Blossfeld and Erik Kiljzing