From Duty to Desire: Emerging Adulthood in Europe and Its Consequences

This article suggests that emerging adulthood, the stage in the life cycle described by Arnett for the United States, is also evident in Europe. The article examines the characteristics of emerging adulthood in Europe and highlights their regional and national similarities and differences. Also examined are the differences between European emerging adulthood and the American model, which chiefly involve the various ways European youth ameliorate economic and domestic instability. This article is based on a study of one of the most salient consequences of emerging adulthood, low fertility. A clear sign of emerging adulthood in Europe is that historically low numbers of children are being born there.