COMPARATIVE YOUTH TRANSITION RESEARCH - METHODS, MEANINGS, AND RESEARCH RELATIONS

Youth transition research across countries faces a particular set of m ethodological problems, some of which are common to comparative resear ch generally and others which are specific to the topic of youth trans ition. This paper examines the scope of such research with respect to focus and level of analysis and then develops two major themes: the pr oblem of equivalence (across countries), and motivation and purposes. The treatment focuses on the methodological tensions arising under bot h these headings, addressing such issues as the cross-cultural meaning of common transition terms (usually English), research relations (the traditional dominance of Anglo-American perspectives), and method (cu ltural anthropology versus the survey). The European political context for conducting youth transition research is then brought into the pic ture. Finally, from a standpoint of 'sceptical eclecticism' the paper seeks solutions to the problems raised in terms of model collaborative strategies, and methods embracing both 'descending' (population sampl ing) and 'ascending' (case-study) research approaches. It is concluded that a paradigm for the most effective comparative youth transition r esearch will contain elements of both.