The transition of young people in a transitional society: The case of Serbia

Abstract

The paper is based on a multidimensional comprehensive survey of 3180 young people aged 17-35 from Serbia in June 2003. It examines the process of becoming an adult in a transitional society undergoing profound social crisis. The paper focuses on different aspects of transition, notably on family transition. The 'structured individualisation hypothesis was tested in several dimensions: the pace at which independence is gained, the milestones of transition, resources available and norms related to the process. The findings show that the individualisation process is hindered by a combination of structural and cultural factors. The structural constraints are related to the lack of resources stemming from unemployment and housing problem. The cultural constraints stem from paternalistic family relations related to infantilisation and retraditionalisation in the family domain. Young people use the only strategy available in the process of transition: they postpone the key life events that would normally bring them to adulthood. The basics of individualisation - becoming independent from their families of origin - occurs approximately 10 years later among young people in Serbia than is the case among their peers in most Western European societies.