Are teenagers in Tokyo more or less mature than teens in Brooklyn? What do Chinese teens do for weekend recreation? What do they value and care about? This volume shows that the lives of teens in prosperous and westernized Asian countries have much in common with those of American teens. Obtaining a good education is paramount, and Asian interests and tastes--in pop culture and sports, for example--are in sync with their American counterparts.

In poorer and politically restricted Asian nations, teen life and opportunities are more restricted, however. Greater focus and energy...

Thanks to its population growth rate, Africa has one of the highest numbers of teenagers in the world. Africa is a vast continent with 52 countries, thousands of languages and peoples, numerous religions, and a diverse landscape, but the teen life--covered here in 15 representative countries--still has basic commonalities. African teens can go to school, tend animal herds, serve as farm help, or learn a trade; they belong to large family networks and participate in communal activities; they enjoy sports and hanging out with friends; and they mix modern and Western influences, such as...