Peer relations and friendship in youth
Friendships matter across the life course, and research highlights their contribution to multiple dimensions of well-being, self-esteem, a sense of belonging, and social integration at school and in the community. Friends provide support, share interests and activities, help shape identity, and can buffer against peer victimization, loneliness, and social exclusion. Embedded in sociocultural contexts, friendships also change over time: some endure for years, while others fade as young people go through major transitions (e.g., changing schools, starting an apprenticeship or job, moving out, or forming new partnerships).
In this seminar, we will explore the role of peers and friends in young people’s everyday lives. We will examine the significance of friendship in social relations research, the role of digital media in friendship and peer relations, and how gender, social class, ethnicity/migration, and health/disability shape friendship patterns and experiences. We will also address conflict and support within friendships, foregrounding friendship as an everyday practice. The seminar draws on interdisciplinary literature to engage with multiple facets of friendship and peer relations.
- Teacher: Anne Carolina Ramos