The Youth Question: Job Instability, Economic Vulnerability, and Biographical Transitions

This reflection investigates the economic instability and vulnerability of youth and young adults in the context of ongoing urban transformations, focusing on Italian cities undergoing rapid change due to touristification, overtourism, and the expansion of consumer-oriented services. These dynamics intersect with broader structural trends – including the fragmentation and destandardization of youth employment and the persistent mismatch between qualifications and job opportunities – contributing to the proletarianization of youth work. At the same time, gentrification and rising living costs, especially housing, are reshaping young people’s everyday experiences and access to urban space – their “right to the city,” as well as their right to decent work and reduced inequalities, as emphasised in the 2030 Agenda. These pressures affect not only employment but also biographical transitions, including autonomy, family formation, and residential choices. Drawing on recent studies and sociological debate, this speech explores how these interconnected dimensions contribute to the emergence of a “youth question” in contemporary Italy – a question still largely overlooked by public policy and institutions. It is emblematic that the Next Generation EU programme has been rebranded in Italy as the PNRR, National Recovery and Resilience Plan, rendering youth issues invisible. Labour and housing precariousness combine to produce prolonged dependence on the family of origin, frustration, and disorientation, challenging traditional assumptions about life courses and social mobility. Addressing the youth question requires not only a deeper understanding of the socio-economic conditions affecting younger generations, but also a critical rethinking of urban and labour policies in Italy.