Young People’s Experiences and Relationships in the Global Pandemic (1)

The worldwide spread of COVID-19, lockdowns, and other measures have brought multiplex and profound changes and restrictions into the everyday lives in contemporary societies. Globally, young people were impacted in all spheres of their lives. This RC34 session wants to investigate and discuss the consequences of the structural changes for young people and how they are/were dealing with the new realities in pandemic and post-pandemic times. We will welcome presentations focused on young people’s experiences, behaviors, attitudes and social conditions related to the global Covid-19 pandemic and the consecutive political measures. Contributions are expected to explore the ways in which the pandemic and its consequences have impacted young people’s lives in spheres such as school and education, employment, family and home, leisure and culture, politics and engagement, wellbeing and health, religion and spirituality, friendships, sexuality, identities, transitions and biographies.

Topics of interest may include, but are not limited to: changes in peer networks, the role of technology in peer relations, dating and romance during the pandemic, parent-child and parent-adolescent relationships, peers and identity formation, “playtime” during the pandemic, peer social support, familial stress and sibling relationships, emotional maturation in the absence of peer interaction, and other related issues. Given the multitude of child and adolescent relationships, along with their respective contexts, we seek submissions from all regions of the world, and submissions from all theoretical and methodological perspectives.