Young Flashcards
Workplace
Marxists have used the theory of the reserve army of labour to show how the ruling classes use young people to fill the gaps in the job market during economic boom times. treating them with short term contracts which mean their position is weaker and may well be paid less than full time, permanent workers.
European legislation passed in 2006 made age discrimination illegal, however a MORI survey found 1 in 5 workers questioned reported having been discriminated against on the grounds of age. - Young people report being patronised and overlooked due to assumptions about their skills and experience.
Parkin uses the theory of social closure to explain why younger people may be blocked from some areas of social life such as getting jobs so older people can maintain there privilege of being able to work.
Economic
Economically young people are likely to earn less and have less wealth stored than other sections of the population.
Marxists argue that state benefits such as full levels of income support are withheld until young people reach 25 meaning they have less money, this is evidence that the powerful law makers in society see youth as a less than equal group
Interpretivists Hockey and James argue that younger people are less likely to be able to resist their dependent status because unlike older people they can’t use alternative sources of power such as wealth giving them high power to resist.
Media
Cohen - folk devils and moral panics. Youth groups may face inequality in the way the media treat them, which in turn may lead to heavy handed policing and social marginalisation as others come to fear these groups.
CCCS (Centre for contemporary cultural studies) showed how the media report on youth groups such as teddy boys who’s subculture was a response to marginalisation in a negative fashion. This is evidence that youth groups may face inequality in the way the media treat them.
Hockey and James argue that both childhood and old age are social constructs. They are linked by the common themes of dependency yet both children and the elderly could be much more independent than society usually allows them to be.
