LOVED IT.

Cote, J. & Bynner, J. M. (2008). Changes in the transition to adulthood in the UK and Canada: the role of structure and agency in emerging adulthood. Journal of Youth Studies, 11(3), 251-268.

This was a fantastic critique of Arnett's emerging adulthood (EA) theory in which Cote and Bynner present an alternative to Arnett's idea of EA as a new developmental stage. They argue that this period is the result of structural changes (both social and economic) in some young adults' lives (and they explore what this means for both advantaged and disadvantaged youth) that have delayed their transition to adulthood, a process which the authors refer to as exclusion from adulthood. Furthermore, Cote and Bynner argue that the psychological characteristics that Arnett believes are indicative of the new developmental stage, such as being self-focused, unstable, "feeling in-between" and having a "sense of possibilities", are actually coping mechanisms that are precipitated by the delayed transition. Basically, just because a lot of people are ending up completing their adult tasks (getting a job, getting married, having a family, etc.) by the age of 30, doesn't mean they've been doing all this identity exploration in the meantime (another tenet of EA as a developmental stage, for which Arnett provides no empirical evidence). Cote and Bynner respond that Arnett's work leaves us with more questions than answers, including "how much of the delayed resolution of these [identity] issues is involuntary?" Overall, a very timely article, for the field and for myself as a 20-something.

I can't resist including this quote: "If people are denied something, regardless of their age, in anticipation of achieving it, they will sustain a hope that the future will be better and that the present is a temporary interval awaiting resolution (cf. Frankl 1962)."

9 out of 10 Jetts - The authors are Canadian and British, I was craving a little US data for my own personal benefit.