Young People and the European City: Age Relations in Nottingham and Saint-Etienne, 1890-1940

Abstract

As European society became more urbanised in the 19th century and new approaches to city life were developed, educated observers began to articulate their fears about the impact that cities had on the young. No less alarming were instances of misbehaviour by young city dwellers, which commentators often sought to explain through reference to environmental conditions. Remedying the particular problems faced by young people in cities required influence over this group. As the city was seen to have undermined traditional links between older generations and the young, it was clear that by the late nineteenth century new methods were necessary to reach and to improve young city dwellers. By raising the problem of the reciprocal relationship between the young and their cities, Europeans made the meaning of urban living an integral component in the ongoing debate about the rising generation.