Falling somewhere between childhood and adulthood, 'Youth' is a key period of transition. It can be difficult to define and make sense of this period in one's life.

However it is categorised, young people face a number of challenges and issues growing up in today's world. From the pressures created by social media to the increasing precarity of employment, the major social, cultural and economic developments of our time are each impacting this period of the lifecourse in myriad ways. Youth Sociology helps readers to understand how such changes factor into the experience of being young today, and illuminates the realities of the world in which young people live.

Embedding perspectives and insights from a wide range of disciplines beyond sociology, this authoritative new textbook will be incredibly useful for all students of youth.

Alan France is Professor of Sociology in Te Pokapu Putaiao Papori (School of Social Sciences) at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Julia Coffey is Senior Lecturer in Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

Steven Roberts is Associate Professor of Sociology in the School of Social Sciences, Monash University.

Catherine Waite is a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Education, Monash University.