Street Corner Society: Leisure Careers, Youth (Sub)culture and Social Exclusion

TLDR

The study proposes that examining leisure careers can illuminate transitions, subcultural experiences, and identities of socially excluded youth, and that this focus may address gaps in current youth research. Using qualitative research of socially excluded young adults in North East England, the authors investigate how leisure careers shape neighborhood‑based social networks. The authors argue that a holistic focus on leisure careers can overcome existing problems in youth studies and that detailed analysis of shifting leisure activities bridges the divide between traditional youth research and youth culture/identity studies.

Abstract

Abstract This paper draws upon qualitative research with 'socially excluded' young people in the North East of England. It proposes that the concept and study of 'leisure careers' is useful in understanding the transitions, (sub)cultural experiences and identities of social groups like this. The empirical focus is upon the significance of leisure careers in the neighbourhood‐based, social networks of some criminally involved, socially excluded young adults. Theoretically, we argue that a focus on leisure careers, as part of a broad, holistic approach to youth transitions, can help overcome some of the problems that currently affect youth studies. In particular, fuller examination of shifting, leisure‐based activities and identities within studies of youth transition may help bridge the analytical divide between that tradition of youth research and that which focuses primarily on youth culture and identity.