Experimental and Explorative Dialectics in Conducting and Analyzing Focus Groups: Identifying Social and Cultural Capitals As the Main Resources for Young People Coping with Precariousness

This research highlights social and cultural characteristics of young people in Greece key to understanding how they cope in an age of strict austerity measures. While avoiding certain established concepts that lead to the political "construction" of youth, as official statistics or government employment programs imply, our combined empirical research and theoretical effort leads to a new understanding of the social concept of youth. The study demonstrates methods for identifying documenting young people through qualitative interview techniques, primarily Focus Groups (FGs). In this way, it is possible to better identify their original social and cultural identity, as well as the important contemporary social phenomena that define young people as a specific generation. Through the elaboration of important theoretical models that explain the concept of youth, and different models for the transition from education to work, the case study proposes a new theoretical approach for youth that derives mainly from the In4Youth survey and qualitative data analysis centering on unemployment, poverty, employment prospects and welfare. Through the research experience acquired, a new model for qualitative research using a certain dialectics methodology is also proposed for focus groups and group interviews.