National Symposium on Family Issues

Transitions to Adulthood in a Changing Economy: No Work, No Family, No Future?

The chapters in this volume are based on the presentations and discussions from the fifth annual National Symposium on Family Issues, held at the Pennsylvania State University October 30-31, 1997.

Citation
Booth, Alan, Ann C. Crouter, and Michael J. Shanahan (1999). Transitions to Adulthood in a Changing Economy: No Work, No Family, No Future?. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.

This symposium volume can be purchased from:
Greenwood Publishing Group
http://www.greenwood.com
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From the Preface
The transition to adulthood takes place in an economic landscape characterized by a widening gap between rich and poor. Downsizing, global competition, and technological change have made jobs scarce in many areas, especially inner cities. Delays in marriage and parenthood are increasingly common. Cohabitation and prolonged residence with parents characterize the life choice of many young adults. How are young people's early family experiences related to the paths they take in early adulthood? What role does adolescent employment play in youth's subsequent development? How do young men and women combine work and close relationships? Who are the winners and losers at this critical life transition?

Key Topics

1. How Have Alterations in the Structure of Opportunity Affected Transitions to Adulthood?

Lead Speaker: Martha Hill, University of Michigan

Discussants:

• William Aquilino, University of Wisconsin
• J. Lawrence Aber, Columbia University School of Public Health's National Center for Children in Poverty
• John Laub, Northeastern University
• Lynn White, University of Nebraska

2. How Do Prior Experiences in the Family Affect Transitions to Adulthood?

Lead Speakers: Larry Bumpass and Kathy Musick, University of Wisconsin

Discussants:

• Martha Cox, University of North Carolina
• Ronald Rindfuss, University of North Carolina
• William Axinn, Pennsylvania State University

3. How Do Prior Experiences in the Workplace Set the Stage for Transitions to Adulthood?

Lead Speaker: Jeylan Mortimer, University of Minnesota

Discussants:

• Steven Hamilton, Cornell University
• Joseph Holtz, University of Chicago
• Wayne Osgood, The Pennsylvania State University

4. Career Development and Marriage Formation in a Period of Rising Inequality: Who Is at Risk? What Are Their Prospects?

Lead Speaker: Valerie K. Oppenheimer, University of California at Los Angeles

Discussants:

• John Modell, Carnegie Mellon University
• Julia Graber, Columbia University
• Sheldon Danziger, University of Michigan

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