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Stuck in a neither/nor. : The impact of over-indebtedness on young people’s entry into adulthood

Eriksson, Erik LU orcid and Davidsson, Tobias (2025) In Journal of Youth Studies p.1-17
Abstract
Based on in-depth interviews with young people experiencing over-indebtedness in Sweden, the paper illustrates the social consequences of over-indebtedness among young adults, particularly in terms of how debt problems affect the entry into adulthood. Combining theories of the indebted subject, social exclusion, emerging adulthood and liminality, the analysis shows that over-indebted young subjects experience several crucial processes of exclusion that limit their possibilities. Analytically, what emerges are subject positions that keep over-indebted young people from approaching normative adulthood, while simultaneously limiting their opportunities to live what is perceived as a normal young person's life. Essentially, they are trapped in... (More)
Based on in-depth interviews with young people experiencing over-indebtedness in Sweden, the paper illustrates the social consequences of over-indebtedness among young adults, particularly in terms of how debt problems affect the entry into adulthood. Combining theories of the indebted subject, social exclusion, emerging adulthood and liminality, the analysis shows that over-indebted young subjects experience several crucial processes of exclusion that limit their possibilities. Analytically, what emerges are subject positions that keep over-indebted young people from approaching normative adulthood, while simultaneously limiting their opportunities to live what is perceived as a normal young person's life. Essentially, they are trapped in a liminal space ‘in between’ ages, in an ongoing but distinctly stagnant transition. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Based on in-depth interviews with young people experiencing over-indebtedness in Sweden, the paper illustrates the social consequences of over-indebtedness among young adults, particularly in terms of how debt problems affect the entry into adulthood. Combining theories of the indebted subject, social exclusion, emerging adulthood and liminality, the analysis shows that over-indebted young subjects experience several crucial processes of exclusion that limit their possibilities. Analytically, what emerges are subject positions that keep over-indebted young people from approaching normative adulthood, while simultaneously limiting their opportunities to live what is perceived as a normal young person's life. Essentially, they are trapped in... (More)
Based on in-depth interviews with young people experiencing over-indebtedness in Sweden, the paper illustrates the social consequences of over-indebtedness among young adults, particularly in terms of how debt problems affect the entry into adulthood. Combining theories of the indebted subject, social exclusion, emerging adulthood and liminality, the analysis shows that over-indebted young subjects experience several crucial processes of exclusion that limit their possibilities. Analytically, what emerges are subject positions that keep over-indebted young people from approaching normative adulthood, while simultaneously limiting their opportunities to live what is perceived as a normal young person's life. Essentially, they are trapped in a liminal space ‘in between’ ages, in an ongoing but distinctly stagnant transition. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Journal of Youth Studies
pages
18 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
ISSN
1469-9680
DOI
10.1080/13676261.2025.2554054
project
In debt – Young adults and the dimensions of guilt
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d254082c-4d37-428e-9d0b-4866c789a47e
date added to LUP
2025-09-12 09:33:44
date last changed
2025-09-29 16:25:00
@article{d254082c-4d37-428e-9d0b-4866c789a47e,
  abstract     = {{Based on in-depth interviews with young people experiencing over-indebtedness in Sweden, the paper illustrates the social consequences of over-indebtedness among young adults, particularly in terms of how debt problems affect the entry into adulthood. Combining theories of the indebted subject, social exclusion, emerging adulthood and liminality, the analysis shows that over-indebted young subjects experience several crucial processes of exclusion that limit their possibilities. Analytically, what emerges are subject positions that keep over-indebted young people from approaching normative adulthood, while simultaneously limiting their opportunities to live what is perceived as a normal young person's life. Essentially, they are trapped in a liminal space ‘in between’ ages, in an ongoing but distinctly stagnant transition.}},
  author       = {{Eriksson, Erik and Davidsson, Tobias}},
  issn         = {{1469-9680}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  pages        = {{1--17}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Journal of Youth Studies}},
  title        = {{Stuck in a neither/nor. : The impact of over-indebtedness on young people’s entry into adulthood}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2025.2554054}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13676261.2025.2554054}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}