ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on youth and educational development in Europe, North America and the USSR, set within the contemporary political debate of the superpowers. It illustrates the tension between the need for the system at once to transmit stable ideology and culture and to prepare young adults who are able to exercise independence and responsibility. The way in which youth is conceptualised also forms a basis for comparison and analysis. The national case studies reflect a variety of models for the provision of education and training for young adults. The central role of the state in the provision of youth education and training is related to the political need for control over manpower planning. The horizontal integration of educational provision is the extent to which curriculum organisation enables the learning process to incorporate different domains of experience.
