Young People, Risk, and Social Justice in a Transitional Society

This book provides a critical theoretical and empirical examination of the ongoing risks impacting the lives of children and young people growing up in the ‘new’ Northern Ireland. It examines, in particular, the problems inherent to some of the most vulnerable and socially marginalised young people in Northern Irish society. Based on a vast array of existing literature, along with empirical research conducted by the authors, the book frames the experience of young people growing up in Northern Ireland within the risk discourse. For many children and young people the proclaimed advantages of living in the ‘new’ Northern Ireland are hidden behind a vast array of additional risks. The book provides detailed analysis of these additional risks and demonstrates that many of these ‘conflict-related’ risks, mask various underlying social and structurally embedded social problems. The book locates debates on transitional societies within the broader issues of marginalisation, poverty, limited lifetime opportunities, criminalisation, stigmatisation and the need for deeper societal engagement, particularly with children and young people. The book draws out the issues young people experience growing up in a transitional society and examines the social, legal and organisational responses to the variety of risks they encounter during their transition into adulthood, when living in a post-conflict society.