This book, first published in 2000, explores the relationship between experiences of selfhood and patterns of social life. It does so through an encounter with young people who confront urgent social and cultural transformations, whose experience of selfhood is unclear, often shaped by social forces that while powerful, appear difficult, if not impossible to name. These young people live in a world where institutions are weakening and identities fragmenting, where socialisation into roles is being replaced by imperatives of communication and self-esteem. Their world is shaped by different forms of freedom, but also by different forms of social polarisation and conflict. More than other social groups, young people confront the imperative of locating a sense of self and subjectivity, and this book is an account of this struggle in a context of profound social and cultural change.

"The strength in this book lies in its sympathetic, descriptive treatment of the lives of these young people, all of whom have some difficulties in making the transition to adulthood." James Coté, CJS Online

"Qualitative researchers will benefit from the thoughtful discussion of ethics found in the first chapter, as well as the self-reflective process engaged on ethical issues throughout this book." Social Forces