The Review On The Western "Youth Transition" Research Since 1960's

The youth transition is an important stage of the individual socialization. With an earlier start, the western youth transition research (mainly in America and Britain), has set up a comparatively complete system, and has achieved plenty of results. Studying the western youth transition research since 1960's, this thesis focuses on its research achievements, with a brief analysis on its track, to provide inspiration for the youth transition research in our country.The youth transition research sprang up in America and Britain in 1960's with the publishing of The Adolescent Society: The Social Life of the Teenager and Its Impact on Education written by American sociologist James S. Coleman. According to different backgrounds, achievements, and topics of each period, the youth transition research can be divided into three stages: the study in the early days, the study in 1980's and the study in 1990's.The study in the early days focused on youth movement, youth sub-culture and their influences on society, especially on education. The study in 1980's was concerned about youth problems. Therefore, youth problems such as youth employment, youth education, youth and their families become popular. The study in 1990's became wider, which centered on youth identification and the ego realization. At the same time, the youth transition problems present the more diverse and complicated characteristics. The studies of youth education, youth employment, youth and their families, and new youth life style still remained prosperous. It was then that the youth transition research reached the climax.The youth transition research in our country has a process of development similar to that in the west. Nowadays, with the growing globalization and internationalization as well as the deepening international exchange, cooperation and competition, youth problems of all countries tend to being the same, which leads to the trend of internationalization in the youth transition research. Therefore, it is necessity to handle the relation between internationalization and localization correctly to provide help for youth transition in our country.