Childhood and Youth in Germany and the Netherlands: Transitions and Coping Strategies of Adolescents (International Studies on Childhood and Adolescence)

In Corsica, spelling contests, road signs, bilingual education bills and Corsican language newscasts leave language planners and ordinary speakers deeply divided over how to define what "counts" as Corsican and how it is connected with cultural identity. In Ideologies in Action Alexandra Jaffe explores the complex interrelationship between linguistic ideologies and practices on the French island of Corsica. This detailed exploration of the ideological and political underpinnings of three decades of language planning raises fundamental questions about what it means to "save" a minority language, and the way in which specific cultural, political and ideological contexts shape the "successes" and "failures" of linguistic engineering efforts. Jaffe's ethnography focuses both on the way dominant language ideologies are inscribed in the everyday experience of ordinary people, as well as how they shape the evolving strategies of language planners trying to revitalize the Corsican language. While Jaffe's analysis demonstrates the pervasive influence of dominant language ideologies on minority language speakers and language planners, she also draws on case studies from everyday discourse, educational practice and public and mediatized debates over language issues to develop an ethnographically-grounded perspective on levels of resistance. In the final part of the book she explores the emergence (and the limits) of "radical" genres of resistance found in forms of Corsican language activism and in examples of codeswitching and language mixing in bilingual radio practice. This book contributes to a growing literature on language ideology, and will be of interest to anthropologists, political scientists and linguists interested in the practical and theoretical dimensions of language contact, minority language literacy, bilingual education, and language shift. This book examines how young people in Germany and the Netherlands grow into adults in their society and how they cope with the accompanying experiences and changes. The 14 chapters of the book are: (1) "The Modernization of the Youth Phase. Educational, Professional and Family Careers of Dutch Youth in the Nineties" (Els Peters); (2) "Courtship and Sexuality in the Youth Phase" (Janita Ravesloot); (3) "The Role of Parents in the Transition Period of Young People" (Manuela du Bois-Reymond); (4) "The Impact of Social and Cultural Modernisation on the Everyday Lives of Children. Theoretical and Methodological Framework and First Results of an Inter-cultural Project" (Peter Buchner); (5) "The Modern Family as a Negotiating Household. Parent-Child Relations in Western and Eastern Germany and in the Netherlands" (Manuela du Bois-Reymond); (6) "Biographisation in Modern Childhood" (Heinz-Hermann Kruger and Jutta Ecarius); (7) "Internal and External Coping in Adolescence. Psychosomatic Complaints, Aggressive Behavior, and the Consumption of Legal and Illegal Drugs" (Petra Kolip and Klaus Hurrelmann); (8) "Demands for Help. Gender Differences in Informal and Medical Help-Seeking" (Wolfgang Settertobulte); (9) "Adolescents' Health Problems and Utilization of Medical and Psychosocial Care Services in East and West Germany. Findings of a Study Based on Interviews of Medical, Psychological and Educational Experts" (Christian Palentien and Klaus Hurrelmann); (10) "Emotional Problems in Adolescence" (Maja Dekovic and Wim Meeus); (11) "Inter-ethnic Violence: A Male Youth Problem?" (Wilma Vollebergh); (12) "Youth under Threat" (Nadia Garnefski and Rene F.W. Diekstra); (13) "Youth Information, Education and the Psychosocial Functioning of Adolescents. An Approach Using Both Socialisation- and Coping-theory" (Frans J. van der Linden); and (14) "The Demand for Youth Information. Results of a National Survey among Adolescents and Young Adults in the Netherlands" (Harry Guit and Frans J. van der Linden). Contains 12 figures and 50 tables. (TJQ) Introduction Part I Status Transitions of Dutch Adolescents and the Role of Parents 1. The Modernization of the Youth Phase. Educational, Professional and Family Careers of Dutch Youth in the Nineties 2. Courtship and Sexuality in the Youth Phase 3. The Role of Parents in the Transition Period of Young People Part II Modernisation of Childhood in East and West Germany and The Netherlands 4. The Impact of Social and Cultural Modernisation on the Everyday Lives of Children. Theoretical and Methodological Framework and First Results of an Inter-cultural Project 5. The Modern Family as a Negotiating Household. Parent-Child relations in Western and Eastern Germany and in the Netherlands 6. Biographisation in Modern Childhood Part III Coping Strategies of Dutch and German Adolescents in Social Context 7. Internal and External Coping in Adolescence. Psychosomatic Complaints, Aggressive Behaviour, and the Consumption of Legal and Illegal Drugs 8. Demands for Help. Gender Differences in Informal and Medical Help- Seeking 9. Adolescents’ Health Problems and Utilization of Medical and Psychosocial Care Services in East and West Germany. Findings of a Study Based on Interviews of Medical, Psychological and Educational Experts 10. Emotional Problems in Adolescence 11. Inter-ethnic Violence: A Male Youth Problem? 12. Youth Under Threat Part IV Youth Information in the Netherlands. A New Educational Concept 13. Youth Information, Education and the Psychosocial Functioning of Adolescents. An Approach Using Both Socialisation- and Coping-theory 14. The Demand for Youth Information. Results of a national survey among adolescents and young adults in The Netherlands References Central topics of adolescence are discussed in this reader, status transitions and coping strategies of young people in Germany and The Netherlands. Based on several research projects from both countries, qualitative as well as quantitative and longitudinal, the contributions cover the perspectives of psychology, pedagogy and cultural sociology. Part one presents research on a classic theme in adolescence sciences, status transitions. Part two discusses a cross-cultural project from three European regions. Part three focuses on the nature and magnitude of emotional and behavioural problems and risk behaviour as well as on their interpersonal and social correlates. The last section introduces youth information as a new educational concept in order to help modern youth in their orientation in an increasingly complex world.