ABSTRACT
The social relationship of generations may always be characterized by a whole bundle of expectations as well as disappointments, by prejudices or simply by not-understanding on both sides. This is even more the case, if one has to discern so profound social, political and cultural changes as happened during the last decades, particularly with regard to women’s conduct of life, younger women’s degree of education, their extended participation in the labour market as well as in public life. In order to understand the ‘new youth’ from a sociological point of view it is advisable to analyse the reasons for generational differences or even conflicts especially with regard to changed social conditions and life plans of the younger generation. Here Karl Mannheim’s concept of generations offers a theoretical framework, which detaches the term generation from biological rhythms or demographical aspects and considers the context of each generation as a social phenomenon, constituted by particular social conditions and cultural influences on an age-group that is similarly situated in a socio-historical realm (Mannheim, 1964). In this concept also social movements play an eminent role, because they are both a product of as well as a motor for social change, and their continuity, failure or success depends on how the next generation is ready to accept, to take over or to distance from their respective achievements or goals.
