Maurizio Merico

Individual and Social Temporalities in American Sociology (1940–2000)

This article is based on the analysis of 259 titles of articles selected from four American sociological journals (the American Journal of Sociology, Social Forces, the American Sociological Review and Social Problems), over a period of 60 years (1940–2000). These titles contain key words such as age(s), generation(s), life cycle and life course, as well as a group of words that identify the purpose of each specific article. The lexical analysis of the data gathered in this way allows us to observe how various orientations, themes and objects of research are encoded in the titles. Comparing how each of these terms is used shows the way in which sociological reasoning has integrated different perspectives on individual and social temporalities. We have established that each of the four different perspectives considered refers to an exclusive lexical repertoire, to themes of differentiated research that belong to a specific historical period.

7 Childhood and Juvenile Obesity in Italy: Health Promotion in an Era of Austerity

Over the last decade, Italy has witnessed a significant increase in the prevalence of childhood and juvenile obesity. The prevalence of childhood and juvenile obesity, common to most Western and European countries, produces important effects in the lives of today’s younger generations and can engender, in a medium- to long-term perspective, serious consequences for the physical health and well-being of future generations. Since 2008, the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has accentuated an already existing process, by contributing to a decline in food quality, a deterioration in eating habits and an evident decrease in investments in healthcare. In Italy, these developments bring new and unfamiliar challenges for health promotion.

Giovani, generazioni e mutamento nella sociologia di Karl Mannheim

L’opera di Karl Mannheim ha suscitato nel tempo valutazioni contrastanti. Da un lato, è stata ripetutamente criticata perché asistematica e contraddittoria, soprattutto nella misura in cui ha cercato di coniugare riflessione teorica e analisi dei problemi sociali (Canta 2006). Dall’altro, i suoi scritti hanno esercitato un fascino quasi «misterioso» su generazioni successive di sociologi, che si sono «arresi» alla sua capacità di stimolare l’individuazione di campi d’indagine sempre nuovi, ritenendo la sua produzione scientifica e i suoi modelli teorici estremamente attuali e utili per leggere e interpretare la società contemporanea (Wolff 1997[1994]). La compresenza di queste due posizioni sembra coerente con – e consente di delineare – la complessità di un percorso a tratti quasi incapace di restituire un ragionamento organico e sistematico, ma anche costantemente pronto a dialogare con prospettive teoriche molteplici, ad aprirsi a campi del sapere e a temi di riflessione poco praticati, a utilizzare metodi di indagine differenti1. Come sottolineato da Ernest Mannheim, nel ricordo pubblicato dall’«American Journal of Sociology» in occasione della scomparsa dello zio e maestro,

I «volti del dissenso». Il contributo di Kenneth Keniston all’analisi delle culture giovanili

The paper explores and analyzes Kenneth Keniston’s researches on the forms of dissent that engaged the US youth between the late 1950s and early 1970s. The resulting review allows to outline, through the continuum between alienation and commitment, the complex interweaving among the processes of social and political change, the biographical dimension and the psychosocial development on which Keniston develops his analysis of the «faces of dissent». The manifold suggestions, until the proposal of identifying the typical features of a «postmodern youth», and the innovative contribution that the analysis developed by Keniston offered, and continues to offer, to the psychological, anthropological and sociological debate on youth and youth cultures are thus highlighted.

Critical Youth Work for Youth-Driven Innovation: A Theoretical Framework

A theoretical framework is presented which conceptualizes how youth work can empower or lead to youth-led innovation. Attention is given to critical youth work, its ability to uncover social inequality mechanisms and to support social emancipation of young people. A comprehensive definition of innovation opens reflection both with respect to the business or technological sphere and to the participatory and cultural domains. The sociological perspective helps to highlight the role of the youth worker as a mediator between the young peoples’ claims for change and the adults’ defense of social stability. The psychoanalysis aspect of the framework offers a theoretical lens to investigate the intra-psychic experiences set in motion when youth work plays a role of intergenerational mediation. Finally, social pedagogy suggests effective educational relationships among young people and youth workers when they strive for generating change.