Under the weight of apparently growing consumer affluence, globalisation and post-modern social theory, many have proclaimed the declining significance of social class and place to young people's lives - and for social science. Drawing upon new, empirically grounded, theoretically innovative studies, this volume begs to differ.

It argues that the youth phase provides a privileged vantage point from which to interrogate and think about broader processes of social change and social continuity. These themes are addressed by all the diverse contributions gathered here. The chapters...