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Inventing Adulthoods, 1996-2006

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Title details

SN: 5777
Title: Inventing Adulthoods, 1996-2006
Alternative title: Inventing Adulthoods: the Showcase Archive, 1996-2006
Persistent identifier: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-5777-1
Depositor(s): INDIVIDUAL
Principal investigator(s): Henderson, S., London South Bank University. Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences
Holland, J., London South Bank University. Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences
Thomson, R., London South Bank University. Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences
McGrellis, S., London South Bank University. Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences
Sharpe, S., London South Bank University. Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences
Sponsor(s): Economic and Social Research Council
Grant number: L129251020; L134251008; M570255001; RES-346-25-3014
Other acknowledgements: Robert Bell, Researcher
Tina Grigoriou, Researcher
Rebecca Taylor, Research assistant
Deborah Holder, Archiving process
Jorge Camacho, Archiving process
Isabel Walter, Analysis
Sean Arnold, Coding
Fergal Barr, Focus group leader
Ian Draper, Focus group leader
Emerson Jackson, Casual research assistance
Amy Lenderyou, Casual research assistance
Helen Membry, Casual research assistance
Melanie Walters, Digitisation and enhancing

Subject Categories

General - Education
Higher and further - Education
Primary, pre-primary and secondary - Education
School leaving - Education
General - Employment and labour
Training - Employment and labour
Unemployment - Employment and labour
Childbearing, family planning and abortion - Health
Drug abuse, alcohol and smoking - Health
Health services and medical care - Health
Physical fitness and exercise - Health
Housing
Conflict, security and peace - Politics
Political behaviour and attitudes - Politics
Community and urban studies - Society and culture
Race relations - Society and culture
Religion and values - Society and culture
Social attitudes and behaviour - Society and culture
Ethnic minorities - Social stratification and groupings
Family life and marriage - Social stratification and groupings
Gender roles - Social stratification and groupings
Social and occupational mobility - Social stratification and groupings
Youth - Social stratification and groupings
Use and provision of specific social services - Social welfare policy and systems

Abstract

The Inventing Adulthoods (IA) archive currently consists of qualitative interview transcripts for 30 young people interviewed up to six times. Transcripts for a further 20 young people will be included in the archive in the near future. Inventing Adulthoods is a qualitative longitudinal (QL) study that 'walked alongside' young people as they moved from early teenage years to young adulthood in five contrasting areas of England and Northern Ireland. This dataset showcases the biographical material collected between 1998 and 2004, providing a unique window on many aspects of young people's lives at the turn of the 21st century.

The case data for each of these young people comprise biographical data that illustrate change over time in most aspects of their lives: home and family, leisure, education, work, relationships, identity and adulthood.

Interview 1: focuses more specifically on moral development
Interview 2: includes perceptions of life chances and the future, as well as reflections on the research process
Interview 3: if young people had responded to the memory book research method, this involves data based on discussion of the content of the memory book. If not, the content reflects that of Interview 2
Interview 4: includes material on social perceptions and responses to issues of social exclusion and reflections on the research process
Interview 5: includes material on perceptions of community, networks and social change
Interview 6: includes material on spirituality and responses to the researcher's interpretations of the case narrative

The focus for investigation shifted from values, to adulthood, to social capital across these three studies. However, a consistent concern was to investigate agency and the 'reflexive project of self'; values and the construction of adult identity; how the social and material environment in which young people grow up acts to shape the values and identities that they adopt; and the impact of globalisation on the individual. Working with the complexity of young people's accounts, the study focused on the dynamic interplay between the individual, the resources available to them and the structuring effects of time, locality, class and gender.

The study also offers considerable methodological potential not only for the further development of prospective QL methodology and biographical and case history approaches but also for application to policy and practice. Further information is available at the project's site, Inventing Adulthoods.

In September 2011, the title was shorted to Inventing Adulthoods, 1996-2006 to describe the current data collection.

For the third edition (July 2011), 44 semi-structured interview transcripts with 10 new, young female respondents were added to the data collection (5777int108 to 5777int151).
Main Topics:
Teenagers, young adulthood, growing up.

Coverage, universe, methodology

Time period: 01 January 1996 - 01 January 2006
Dates of fieldwork: 1998, 2004
Country: England
Northern Ireland
Spatial units: No spatial unit
Observation units: Individuals
Kind of data: Textual
Numeric
Universe: Subnational
Children aged 14 to 16, attending schools selected on the basis of demographic features in mixed ability tutor groups, matching key demographic characteristics within the research site (sex, age, social class, and ethnicity). An additional factor relating to group dynamics (the inclusion of young people who were identified as 'leaders' by researchers, teachers and pupils) was used.
Time dimensions: Longitudinal/panel/cohort
Qualitative longitudinal study
Sampling procedures: Volunteer sample
Number of units: 151 Interviews. 30 cases interviewed up to six times.
Method of data collection: Face-to-face interview
Weighting: Not applicable

Keywords

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTACHIEVEMENTADOLESCENCE
ADOLESCENTSAGE GROUPSALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
ALCOHOLISMAMPHETAMINESARTISTIC ACTIVITIES
ASIANSASPIRATIONATTITUDES TO SAVING
AUTHORITYBALL GAMESBINGE DRINKING
BIRTH CONTROL METHODSBROKEN FAMILIESCANNABIS
CHILDBIRTHCHOICECLASS CONFLICT
CLASS CONSCIOUSNESSCLUBSCOCAINE
COHABITATIONCOMMUNITIESCOMMUNITY IDENTIFICATION
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATIONCREATIVITYCULTURAL ACTIVITIES
CULTURAL BEHAVIOURCULTURAL PARTICIPATIONCULTURAL VALUES
CULTUREDEATHDEBTS
DECISION MAKINGDEPENDENCY RELATIONSHIPDISABILITIES
DISABLED PERSONSDIVORCEDRINKING BEHAVIOUR
DROPPING OUT (EDUCATION)DRUG ABUSEDRUG EFFECTS
DRUG SIDE-EFFECTSDRUG TRAFFICKINGECSTASY (DRUG)
EDUCATIONEDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDEDUCATIONAL CHOICE
EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONSEMPLOYMENTENGLAND
ENTERTAINMENTETHNIC GROUPSETHNIC MINORITIES
EXAMINATIONSEXTENDED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPSEXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
FAMILIESFAMILY DISORGANIZATIONFAMILY ENVIRONMENT
FAMILY INFLUENCEFAMILY MEMBERSFASHION
FRIENDSFRIENDSHIPGENERATIONS (AGE)
GLOBALIZATIONHALLUCINOGENIC DRUGSHEALTH
HETEROSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPSHOBBIESHOLIDAYS
HOMELESSNESSHOMOSEXUALITYIDENTITY
ILL HEALTHILLEGAL DRUGSIMAGE
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENTINFIDELITYINTERNAL MIGRATION
INTERNET USEINTERPERSONAL ATTRACTIONINTERPERSONAL INFLUENCE
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSISLAMJOB HUNTING
JOB SEEKER'S ALLOWANCELEADERSHIPLEAVING HOME (YOUTH)
LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIESLIFE EVENTSLIFE HISTORIES
LISTENING TO MUSICLOVELSD (DRUG)
MAGIC MUSHROOMSMALE HOMOSEXUALITYMARRIAGE
MARRIAGE DISSOLUTIONMASS CULTUREMIDDLE CLASS
MORAL VALUESMOTIVATIONMUSIC EDUCATION
NARCOTIC DRUGSNATIONAL CULTURESNATIONAL IDENTITY
NETWORKINGNORTHERN IRELANDOCCUPATIONAL CHOICE
OCCUPATIONSPARENTAL DEPRIVATIONPARENTAL ENCOURAGEMENT
PARENTAL SUPERVISIONPARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPPARTNERSHIPS (PERSONAL)
PEER GROUP PRESSUREPEER-GROUP RELATIONSHIPSPERFORMANCE
PERFORMING ARTSPERSONAL APPEARANCEPERSONAL DEBT REPAYMENT
PERSONAL EFFICACYPERSONAL FASHION GOODSPERSONAL IDENTITY
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIESPHYSICAL DISABILITIESPHYSICALLY DISABLED PERSONS
POVERTYPREMARITAL SEXPRESTIGE
PUBLIC IMAGEQUALIFICATIONSRACE RELATIONS
RACIAL PREJUDICERACISMREGIONAL IDENTITY
RELATIVE DEPRIVATIONRELIGIONRELIGIOUS AFFILIATION
RELIGIOUS BEHAVIOURRELIGIOUS BELIEFSRELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
RESIDENTIAL MOBILITYRESPONSIBILITYRURAL AREAS
SAFE SEXSAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPSSAVINGS
SCHOOL DISCIPLINESCHOOL-LEAVINGSCHOOL-LEAVING AGE
SECONDARY EDUCATIONSECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVINGSECTARIANISM
SELF-DISCIPLINESELF-ESTEEMSEX EDUCATION
SEXUAL ABSTINENCESEXUAL AWARENESSSEXUAL BEHAVIOUR
SEXUAL ORIENTATIONSIBLING RELATIONSHIPSMOKING
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES (LEISURE)SOCIAL ALIENATIONSOCIAL ATTITUDES
SOCIAL BEHAVIOURSOCIAL CAPITALSOCIAL CLASS
SOCIAL DISADVANTAGESOCIAL EXCLUSIONSOCIAL INFLUENCE
SOCIAL ISOLATIONSOCIAL MOBILITYSOCIAL NETWORKS
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYSOCIAL SUCCESSSOCIAL VALUES
SPORTSPOUSESSTATE RESPONSIBILITY
STIMULANT DRUGSSTUDENT LEISURESTUDENT LOANS
STUDENTSSTUDENTS (COLLEGE)SUBCULTURAL GROUPS
SUPERVISIONTEETOTALISMTRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO WORK
UNDERAGE DRINKINGUNDER-AGE SEXUNEMPLOYED
UNEMPLOYMENTUNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITSURBAN AREAS
WHITE PEOPLEWORKING CLASSYOUNG ADULTS
YOUTHYOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

Administrative and access information

Date of release:
First edition: 20 June 2008
Latest edition: 27 July 2011 ( Edition 3 )
Copyright: Copyright S. Henderson, R. Thomson, J. Holland, S. McGrellis and S. Sharpe
Access conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions of access for further information.
Availability: UK Data Service
Contact: Get in touch

Documentation

TitleFile NameSize (KB)
Data Listing 5777ulist.xls 73
User Guide 5777uguide.pdf 1261
Study information and citation UKDA_Study_5777_Information.htm 23
READ File read5777.htm 3

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Publications

Please note, the inclusion of publications in this tab is temporary. Publications and outputs will be searchable using the publications filter in the near future.

By principal investigator(s):
Thomson, R. (2000) 'Dream on: the logic of sexual practice', Journal of Youth Studies, 3(4), pp.407-427.

Thomson, R. (2000) 'Legal, protected and timely: young people's reflections on the age of heterosexual consent' in D. Monk and J. Bridgeman (eds.) Feminist perspectives on child law, London: Routledge Cavendish Press. ISBN 1-85941-525-3.

Holland, J. et al. (2000) 'Catching on, wising up and learning from your mistakes: young people's accounts of moral development', The International Journal of Children's Rights, 8(3), pp.271-294.

Thomson, R. (2000) 'Authority' in J. Rutherford (ed.) The art of life: on living, love and death, Lawrence and Wishart Ltd. ISBN 0-85315-906-8.

Thomson, R. et al. (2001) 'From 'Peter Andre's six pack' to 'I do knees': the body in young people's moral discourse' in K. Milburn-Backett and L. Mckie (eds.) Powerful bodies: gender, sexualities and embodiment, London: Macmillian.

Sharpe, S. (2001) More than a piece of paper? Young people's views on marriage and relationships, London: National Children's Bureau.

McGrellis, S. et al. (2001) Through the moral maze: a quantitative study of young people's moral values, London: The Tufnell Press. ISBN 1-87276-732-X.

Holland, J. et al. (2001) 'Youth values and transitions: young people's participation in the research process', in J. Clark et al. (eds.) Young people as researchers, Youth Work Press. ISBN 0-86155-252-0.

Thomson, R. and Holland, J. (2002) 'Imagining adulthood: resources, plans and contradictions' Gender and Education, 14(4), pp.337-350.

Thomson, R. et al. (2002) 'Critical moments: choice, chance and opportunity in young people's narratives of transition to adulthood', Sociology, 36(2), pp.335-354.

Thomson, R. and Holland, J. (2002) 'Young people, social change and the negotiation of moral authority', Children and Society, 16(1), pp.1-13.

Thomson, R. et al. (2002) 'Researching childhood: time, memory and method' in G. Allan and G. Jones (eds.) Social relations and the life course, Basingstoke: Palgrave. ISBN 0-33398-497-8.

Sharpe, S. (2002) '"It's really hard to come to terms with": young people's views on homosexuality', Sex Education, 2(3), pp.263-279.

Thomson, R., Henderson, S. and Holland, J. (2003) 'Making the most of what you've got: resources, values and inequalities in young people's transitions to adulthood', Education Review, 55(1), pp.33-46.

Thomson, R. and Holland J. (2003) 'Hindsight, foresight and insight: the challenges of longitudinal qualitative research', International Journal of Social Research Methods – Special issue on Longitudinal Qualitative Methods, 6(3), pp.233-244.

Thomson, R., Plumridge, L. and Holland, J. (2003) 'Editorial: Longitudinal qualitative research – a developing methodology', International Journal of Social Research Methods – Special issue on Longitudinal Qualitative Methods, 6(3), pp.185-187.

Plumridge, L. and Thomson, R. (2003) 'Longitudinal qualitative studies and the reflexive self', International Journal of Social Research Methods – Special issue on Longitudinal Qualitative Methods, 6(3), pp.213-222.

Henderson, S. Taylor, R. and Thomson, R. (2003) 'In touch: young people and the mobile phone', in M.J. Kehily and J. Swann (eds.) Children's Cultural Worlds, Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd./The Open University. ISBN 0-47084-694-1.

Henderson, S., Taylor, R. and Thomson, R. (2003) 'In touch: young people, communication and technologies' Information, Communication and Society, 5(4), pp.494-512.

Thomson, R. (2004) '"An adult thing"? Young people's perspectives on the heterosexual age of consent', Sexualities, 7(2), pp.135-152.

Thomson, R. et al. (2004) 'Inventing adulthoods: a biographical approach to understanding youth citizenship', Sociological Review, 52(2), pp.218-239.

Thomson, R. and Holland, J. (2004) Youth values and transitions to adulthood: an empirical investigation, Families and Social Capital ESRC Research Group Working Paper, No.4.

Thomson, R. et al. (2004) 'Inventing adulthood: a biographical perspective on youth citizenship', Sociological Review, 52(2), pp.218-293.

Sharpe, S. (2004) From fear to respect: young people's views on violence, London: National Children's Bureau Enterprises Ltd. ISBN 1-90478-706-1.

McGrellis, S. (2004) Pushing the boundaries in Northern Ireland: young people, violence and sectarianism, Families and Social Capital ESRC Research Group Working Paper, No.8.

Henderson, S. McGrellis, S. and Sharpe, S. (2004) 'Capitalising on both sides: experiences in a longitudinal research project' in R. Edwards (ed.) Social capital in the field: researchers tales, Families and Social Capital ESRC Research Group Working Paper No.10.

Thomson, R. and Taylor, R. (2005) 'Between cosmopolitanism and the locals: mobility as a resource in the transition to adulthood', Young: Nordic Journal of Youth Studies, 13(4), pp.327-342.

Thomson, R. and Holland, J. (2005) 'Thanks for the memory: memory books as a methodological resource in biographical research', Qualitative Research, 5(2), pp.201-291.

Sharpe, S. and Thomson, R. (2005) All you need is love? Sexual morality through the eyes of young people, London: National Children's Bureau Enterprises Ltd. ISBN 1-90478-735-5.

Sharpe, S., Jessop, J. and Ribbens-McCarthy, J. (2005) 'Young people's experiences of bereavement' in J. Ribbens-McCarthy and J. Jessop (eds.) Young people, bereavement and loss. Disruptive transitions?, London: National Children's Bureau Enterprises Ltd. ISBN 1-90478-745-2.

McGrellis, S. (2005) 'Pure and bitter spaces: gender, identity and territory in Northern Irish youth transitions', Gender and Education, 17(5), pp.515-529.

McGrellis, S. (2005) 'Pushing the boundaries in Northern Ireland: young people, violence and sectarianism', Contemporary Politics, 11(1), pp.57-71.

Henderson, S. (2005) 'Sticks and smoke. Growing up with a sense of the city in the countryside', Young: Nordic Journal of Youth Studies, 13(4), November, pp.363-379.

Gordon, T. et al. (2005) 'Imagining gendered adulthood: anxiety, ambivalence, avoidance and anticipation', European Journal of Women's Studies, 12(1), pp.83-103.

Blake, S., Henderson, S. and McGrellis, S. (2005) Cards for life: promoting emotional and social development, London: National Children's Bureau Enterprises Ltd. ISBN 1-90478-759-2.

Holland, J. (2006) 'Fragmented youth: social capital in biographical context in young people's lives' in R. Edwards, J. Franklin and J. Holland (eds.) Assessing social capital: concept, policy and practice, Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Press. ISBN 1-84718-393-X.

Henderson, S. et al. (2006) Inventing adulthoods: a biographical approach to youth transitions, London: Sage. ISBN 1-41293-069-3.

Henderson, S., Holland, J. and Thomson, R. (2006) 'Making the long view: perspectives on context from a qualitative longitudinal (QL) study', Methodological Innovations Online, 1(2).

Thomson, R. (2007) 'The qualitative longitudinal case history: practical, methodological and ethical reflections', Social Policy and Society, 6(4), pp.571-582.

Holland, J., Thomson, R. and Henderson, S. (2006) Qualitative longitudinal research: a discussion paper, Families and Social Capital, ESRC Research Group Working Paper, No. 21.

Holland, J. (2007) 'Emotions and Research', International Journal of Social Research Methodology, Theory and Practice, 10(3), pp.195-209.

Holland, J., Reynolds, T. and Weller, S. (2007) 'Transitions, networks and communities: the significance of social capital in the lives of children and young people,' Journal of Youth Studies, 10(1), pp.101-120.

Elliott, J., Holland, J. and Thomson, R. (2007) 'Qualitative and quantitative longitudinal research' in L. Bickman, J. Brannen and P. Alasuutari (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Social Research Methods, London: Thousand Oaks/Sage. ISBN 1-41291-992-4.

Holland, J. (2007) 'Inventing adulthoods: making the most of what you have' in H. Helve and J. Bynner (eds.) Youth and Social Capital, London: The Tufnell Press. ISBN 1-87276-777-X.

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