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The Network on the Transitions to Adulthood, supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation,
examines the changing nature of early adulthood (ages 18-34), and the policies,
programs, and institutions that support young people as they move into adulthood.
Significant cultural, economic, and demographic changes have
occurred in the span of a few generations, and these changes are challenging
youths’ psychological
and social development. Some are adapting well, but many others are floundering
as they prepare to leave home, finish school, find jobs, and start families.
“Many young people are living
at home longer, delaying marriage, and starting families
well into their 30s, creating an additional financial
burden on their parents, challenging institutions
that were designed for an earlier time, and disadvantaging
people with limited financial resources….”
—Jonathan F. Fanton, President of the MacArthur
Foundation,
Network funder. |
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The Network is both documenting these cultural and social shifts, and
exploring how families, government, and social institutions are shaping
the course of young adult’s development. The Network is chaired by University
of Pennsylvaniasociologist Frank Furstenberg.
For more on MacArthur Research Networks, go here.
Major Program Elements
The Network currently includes experts in the field of
sociology, criminology, pediatrics and public health, developmental psychology,
policy/program evaluation, and economics. The Network focuses on six areas:
"Traditionally, early adulthood
has been a period when young people acquire the
skills they need to get jobs, to start families,
and to contribute to their communities. But because
of the changing nature of families, the education
system, and the workplace, the process has become
more complex. This means that early adulthood has
become a difficult period for some young people,
especially those who are not going to college and
lack the structure that school can provide to facilitate
their development”
—Frank Furstenberg, Network Chair |
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Education. The transition from school
to work is largely dependent on the level of education an individual
attains. For those not attending college, the problem is not lack of
jobs but lack of good jobs for which they are qualified. Community colleges
are an underused resource that could link high schools and employers
effectively. The Network is exploing how this system can be made to
work better for those who need it most. Sample project here.
Labor economics. During the last two decades,
the labor market position of those without college degrees has eroded
seriously. The Network is examining job development efforts and will
explore opportunities to link training programs with real-world employment. Sample project here. In addition, the Network has examined to what degree economic conditions are responsible for the protracted transition to adulthood. Sample project here
Social history. The shape of young adulthood
has changed dramatically over the centuries, and especially over the
past 30 to 40 years. Young people today are more likely to delay marriage,
to live together outside of marriage and to remain unmarried even after
giving birth outside wedlock. The Network is evaluating the long-term
implications of these trends for child-bearing and the experiences of
children and will examine policies and programs that support the development
of young families. Sample project here.
Changing Attitudes and Norms. The Network is investigating how the attitudes and values of young Americans are evolving in relation to the lengthening transition to adulthood documented, including civic participation, political views, and views of adulthood itself. Sample project here.
Developmental Changes. Network members are examining the psychological and developmental aspects of the transition to adulthood. Drawing from both qualitative and quantitative (MTF, MIDUS, AddHealth) data sets, the subgroup will explore, from the young adult’s perspective, how a group of psychological and developmental constructs that the subgroup has identified, might be instrumental in cultivating growth and healthy transitions. Sample project here
Ethnography. While surveys provide some
quantitative data about youth in transition to adulthood, an in-depth,
qualitative understanding of this period of life is also essential to
a complete picture. In particular, with the continuing growth in both
US-born minority and immigrant populations, an understanding of how ethnic
minority youth negotiate the transitions of young adulthood is also essential. Sample project here
Progress and Plans
During Phase 1 (2000-2004), the Network:
- Documented with high-quality data how young adults from
different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds are moving
into adulthood—what emerging adulthood looks like,
how it has changed over the 20th century, and how it varies
by specific populations. See the resulting book, On
the Frontiers of Adulthood (University of Chicago Press.)
See also policy briefs based
on the book;
- If the transition to adulthood proves difficult for a
large share of the population, as documented by Network
researchers in step 1 above and in the resulting book,
On the Frontier of Adulthood, what does that mean for youth
with special vulnerabilities? In On Your Own without a
Net, Network researchers extend the research to a focus
on vulnerable populations: those leaving foster care, those
leaving juvenile justice or prison, those with special
health needs, homeless youth, and others.
- Explored how the public and youth themselves view this
period of life—how work, family life, and civic society
are experienced, and what are considered to be the milestones
of adulthood and their timing;
- Identified several exemplary programs that may help to
guide policymakers in building and strengthening pathways
to more successful adult transitions.
- Disseminated the findings to academics, policymakers
and the public and built interest in and shaped this emerging
field of research and practice.
During Phase 2 (ongoing), the Network will:
- Continue to focus on three institutions deemed critical
to youth—community colleges, the military, and organizations
promoting civic involvement.
Community Colleges: The Network has done
extensive background research, preliminary
fieldwork, and has collaborated with program sites
to develop a pilot program— Opening
Doors —for community colleges, with an
evaluation using a random assignment
design.
Military: The Network is also evaluating
a promising program offered by the National
Guard (ChalleNGe) to re-engage youth who have
dropped out of high school. After visiting ten of
their programs around the country and meeting with
all of the program directors, we have proposed an
experimental research design and are actively engaged
in fund-raising for the study.
Civic Engagement: The Network is collaborating
with AmeriCorps to
carry out an assessment of a wide variety of public
programs aimed at promoting civic engagement.
- Support broad policy-related research on the role of
these and other institutions as agents in the period of
early adulthood. the Network will identify and leverage the
work of others, for example, Chapin Hall Center for Children,
which is studying independent living programs for young
people aging out of the foster care system, and MDRC, which
is working with the Center for Employment Opportunities
(CEO), a program for mostly young ex-offenders. Network
chair Frank Furstenberg is collaborating with researchers
and policymakers studying marriage and family formation.
In these ancillary activities, the Network will direct
its knowledge of the early adult period to others involved
in institutions that touch the lives of young adults.
- The Network will continue to seed field-building activities by
commissioning papers, organizing panels and presenting
findings in a variety of venues. We will continue to translate
our research into short policy briefs aimed at policy makers
and the media. The goal is to capitalize on the public
attention our work has generated thus far, especially on
the mismatch between the needs of young people and the
supports offered by the major institutions to which they
turn.
MacArthur Foundation Research Networks
The Foundation supports interdisciplinary research networks, "research institutions without walls," on topics related primarily to human and community development. They are Foundation-initiated projects that bring together highly talented individuals from a spectrum of disciplines, perspectives, and research methods. The networks explore basic theoretical issues and empirical questions that will increase the understanding of fundamental social issues and are likely to yield significant improvements in policy and practice.
Contact Information
Patricia Miller
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Sociology
3718 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6299
215-898-1569 - PHONE
215-898-2124 - FAX
e-mail: pmiller@pop.upenn.edu
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