Levels of intersecting temporalities in young men’s orientation to the future. A cross-national case comparison

Inspired by G.H. Mead’s philosophy of time and his focus on the present as the site of interpretation of past experiences and thoughts about the future, this paper makes cross-national comparisons between four cases of young Norwegian and British men. The method is case-based biographical analysis. Levels of biographical time, family time and historical time intersect in young men’s orientation to the future in a present set in the current contexts of Norway and Britain. The overarching question addresses if and how timing at the biographical level, related to family time and resources, harmonise with features of opportunity structures in the national contexts. Two typologies are identified: those whose future orientations correspond with standards for ‘successful’ trajectories are named confident continuity while cautious contingency characterises the orientation of those whose biographical timing of transitions is not in synchrony with family time nor with standards in the current opportunity structure.acceptedVersio

Independence and relationality in notions of adulthood across generations, gender and social class

The adult person is in sociological literature often referred to as a genderless and classless being. As a life course phase it is implicitly viewed as a static destination after a dynamic transition period of youth. The aim of this article is to empirically examine perceptions of adulthood in biographical interviews in three-generation Norwegian families. A case-based biographical approach related to gender and social class across historical periods is at the core of the analysis. Thoughts on independence and the Mead-inspired concept of relationality are used as sensitising concepts to examine general ideals and personal considerations in notions of adulthood. The analyses indicate variations over historical periods, generations and life course phases wherein relationality or independence become significant. Relationality may take on different meanings with reference to period-specific gender expectations such as the male provider role and women as the primary carer in families in the oldest generations. Ideals of individual independence as choice or necessity vary according to life course phase, social class and period-specific conditions.publishedVersio

Chapter 1 Understanding youth transitions in difficult times

This chapter sketches some key developments in the framing of youth and early adulthood as life course stages, and situates the influence of the recent economic recession with reference to longer-term trends including increased social inequality. The authors explore different aspects of youth and early adulthood as these relate to labour market and family transitions and inter-generational relationships. These are illustrated by developments across the European nations represented in the book, specifically Norway, the UK, Germany, Greece, Portugal and Italy. The authors discuss the theoretical foundations of youth studies and life course research and set the context for the collection as well as framing the chapters in the book

Managing categories: The role of social technology in kindergarten teachers’ work to promote early intervention and integration

publishedVersionPaid Open AccessUNIT agreemen

Quantification and classification in education: What is at stake?

publishedVersio

Dynamical System Approach as methodology in analysis of discrete movements in football; What happens when there are four choices in order parameter with subjects representing both ends of the skill continuum?

Hensikten med studiet presentert var å undersøke anvendbarheten av metodologien til dynamisk systemteori i analyse av mottak og pasning i fotball, hvor posisjon og spatial lokalisering var kontrollvariabel og med fire løsningsmuligheter i ordensparameter, innside eller utside, høyre eller venstre. Forsøkspersonene stod i en utgangsposisjon hvor baller ble mottatt og sendt tilbake fra 9 ulike vinkler. Den eksperimentelle situasjonen besto av tre ulike forsøksbetingelser, og i den første betingelsen ble kontrollparameter skalert systematisk med baller sendt fra ytterste høyre posisjon til ytterste venstre posisjon og tilbake. For betingelse 2 var hensikten å se på preferanser for mottak og pasning når kontrollvariabelen ikke ble systematisk skalert, men ble gitt ved tilfeldige verdier. For betingelse 3 ble det sett på foretrukne tekniske løsninger når ordensparameter igjen var skalert systematisk, men denne gang samtidig som deltakerne ble påvirket av stress i form av tilleggsoppgaver. I både betingelse 1 og 2 viste spesialistgruppen, deltakerne med gode ferdigheter i fotball, større variasjon i bruk av mottaks- og pasningsteknikker, og med det større variabilitet i bevegelsene sammenlignet med deltakerne i den andre gruppen. For disse dominerte høyre fot både for mottak og pasning, samt viste de liten stabilitet i sine valg på tvers av skaleringsretningene. Mens spesialistgruppen i all hovedsak brukte de samme teknikkene i de samme posisjonene enten skaleringen gikk fra høyre mot venstre eller motsatt, var dette annerledes for normalgruppen, som i hovedsak brukte en løsning den ene veien og en annen for den andre skaleringsretningen. For betingelse 3 ble forskjellene mellom gruppene enda tydeligere, og det mønsteret som fremgikk av mottaks- og pasningsvalg for de to første betingelsene ble her sterkest påvirket hos gruppen med mindre gode ferdigheter. Studiet har vist at det er mulig å studere en bevegelse med fire løsningsmuligheter i ordensparameter med posisjon og spatial lokalisering som kontrollvariabel