Developmental Tasks in Adolescence

<p>The topic of adolescent development in Europe is one which has received little academic attention in recent years. <i>Developmental Tasks in Adolescence </i>makes an exciting contribution to the field by applying socialisation theory to four major developmental tasks of life: Qualifying, Bonding, Consumption and Participation, arguing that if the tasks in these areas are mastered, then personal individuation and social integration can take place, a prerequisite for the formation of self-identity. </p><p>In highly developed societies, adolescence encompasses a period of about 15 years on average. Puberty, or the transition from childhood, starts earlier and earlier, and the transition to adulthood is increasingly postponed. <i>Developmental Tasks in Adolescence </i>proposes that the way in which adolescents master the tasks of everyday life has become a pattern of orientation for the life stages which follow because of the new lifestyle requirements that are typical for modern democratic societies. Today, a life full of uncertainties and ambiguities is no longer limited to adolescence, but rather continues into adulthood. </p><p>Hurrelmann and Quenzel's sociological approach<em> </em>is valuable reading for students and academics in psychology, sociology, education, social work and youth studies, and for those on professional training courses in these fields. </p>