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Experiences of Vulnerability and Precariousness during the COVID-19 pandemic

Strömsten, Emmy LU (2021) UTVK03 20211
Sociology
Abstract
This research critically examines the experiences of the pandemic for youths
of the generation “i- Gen”. Concretely, the research focuses on the
experiences revealed in qualitative interviews in comparison to existing
research on precarity and youth studies, in the context of the COVID-19
pandemic. The purpose of the research is to analyze young people's stories
through the theoretical lens of the concept of precarity. Firstly, I focus on the
contextual background of the existence of precarity in leading to a notion of
precariousness and stress for youth. Secondly, the research explores how the
existing research can be related to the narratives from youth during the
pandemic. The research is abductive; therefore, the consideration... (More)
This research critically examines the experiences of the pandemic for youths
of the generation “i- Gen”. Concretely, the research focuses on the
experiences revealed in qualitative interviews in comparison to existing
research on precarity and youth studies, in the context of the COVID-19
pandemic. The purpose of the research is to analyze young people's stories
through the theoretical lens of the concept of precarity. Firstly, I focus on the
contextual background of the existence of precarity in leading to a notion of
precariousness and stress for youth. Secondly, the research explores how the
existing research can be related to the narratives from youth during the
pandemic. The research is abductive; therefore, the consideration of other
theories will be used to understand the background behind the interviewees’
narratives in an attempt to construct a theory. The results from the analysis of
the interviews highlights three main conclusions: The importance of family
resources and networks in feelings of stability, gendered stress of women
worrying increasingly about the future, and the conflicting feelings of
adulthood. Moreover, there seems to be a structure of youths cautiously
choosing life paths in search of security. The participants with lower
aspirations generally stood opposed to adulthood compared to other
participants wanting to engage in the next phase of adulthood during the
pandemic. Even though many of the participants shared life conditions,
women from lower socio-economic backgrounds worried to a higher extent
about the future. The research, therefore, concludes that social class and
gender are the most important factor behind feelings of precariousness, stress
over the future, and insecurity during the pandemic. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Strömsten, Emmy LU
supervisor
organization
course
UTVK03 20211
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Sweden, precarity, Precariousness, i-Gen, labor conditions, COVID-19
language
English
id
9056284
date added to LUP
2021-08-04 10:27:09
date last changed
2021-08-04 10:27:09
@misc{9056284,
  abstract     = {{This research critically examines the experiences of the pandemic for youths
of the generation “i- Gen”. Concretely, the research focuses on the
experiences revealed in qualitative interviews in comparison to existing
research on precarity and youth studies, in the context of the COVID-19
pandemic. The purpose of the research is to analyze young people's stories
through the theoretical lens of the concept of precarity. Firstly, I focus on the
contextual background of the existence of precarity in leading to a notion of
precariousness and stress for youth. Secondly, the research explores how the
existing research can be related to the narratives from youth during the
pandemic. The research is abductive; therefore, the consideration of other
theories will be used to understand the background behind the interviewees’
narratives in an attempt to construct a theory. The results from the analysis of
the interviews highlights three main conclusions: The importance of family
resources and networks in feelings of stability, gendered stress of women
worrying increasingly about the future, and the conflicting feelings of
adulthood. Moreover, there seems to be a structure of youths cautiously
choosing life paths in search of security. The participants with lower
aspirations generally stood opposed to adulthood compared to other
participants wanting to engage in the next phase of adulthood during the
pandemic. Even though many of the participants shared life conditions,
women from lower socio-economic backgrounds worried to a higher extent
about the future. The research, therefore, concludes that social class and
gender are the most important factor behind feelings of precariousness, stress
over the future, and insecurity during the pandemic.}},
  author       = {{Strömsten, Emmy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Experiences of Vulnerability and Precariousness during the COVID-19 pandemic}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}