The links between structural and social marginalisation – social relations of young Finnish adults not in employment or education

Abstract

This paper focuses on the social attachments and detachments of 16-to 29-year-old young adults who are not in employment or education, and consequently not part of the sociability related to work or school. While the characteristics of this group tend to be well documented, there is less empirical research on their social relations. Here, the aim is to explore the interlinkages between young adults' structural and social marginalisation through an analysis that draws upon two types of interlinked datasets: follow-up surveys and online group discussions conducted among a sample of young adults recruited from targeted youth services during 2017-2018. Leaning on empirical evidence, the paper argues that structural marginalisation is associated with the social marginalisation of young adults. With the use of both quantitative and qualitative data, the paper provides new youth-specific insights into the arguments made in the previous literature on financial constraints and stigma as mechanisms between structural and social marginalisation.

Estimating the Mental Wealth of nations: valuing social production and investment

“…Second, the exclusion of extra-market activities sends a signal that society does not value the contributions made by those not in the formal labour market. When employment is privileged as a legitimate social role and indicator of societal integration, structural and social marginalization of the unemployed, older adults and the disabled lead to stigma, inequality, lower social participation, intergenerational dependence and care, and the erosion of mental health and well-being [20][21][22] . Placing greater emphasis on the value of non-market activities undertaken in and for communities may guard against these negative effects 23 .…”

Well-Being in the Information Society. Fruits of Respect

“…The interlinkage between society and withdrawal is visible on earlier research showing that NEET youths feel lonelier than youths studying or working. This might be not only because of fewer contacts to other people, but also because lack of finances, psychological strain and shame [12,13].…”

“…On the other hand, the NEET status might be caused by health or mental health problems such as depression, which is linked to loneliness. Välimäki et al [12] propose that having no friends may be even more stigmatizing than not being in employment or in education: more personal and more difficult to get over, especially as youths are expected to live a socially active life. However, studying or working does not guarantee inclusion and on the other hand, NEET youths do not necessarily suffer from social exclusion, as they might have a large social network [11,12].…”

“…It has been suggested that the Hikikomori syndrome should be added to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as a new psychiatric disorder [3,4]. However, one has to bear in mind the societal impacts on the Hikikomori phenomenon, as structural marginalization is evidently linked, and even causes social marginalization [12,13].…”

Promoting social engagement for young adults living in social isolation in Sweden: social workers and health care professionals’ perceptions of success factors

“…that the phenomenon and the problems can be regarded as symptoms of underlying psychiatric disorders in which the difficulties are contributing factors to social withdrawal and isolation (Kondo et al 2011). Exclusion from social life can promote mental illness, a risk factor for being left without employment or education and thus a determinant to social exclusion (Benjet et al 2012;Goldman-Mellor et al 2016;Välimäki, Kivijärvi, and Aaltonen 2019). Young people who neither work nor study and who isolate themselves are often bullied at school, have high absenteeism and cause interruptions in school (Kondo et al 2011;Lee et al 2013;Teo 2010).…”