This American Sociological Association (ASA) Rose Speaker Series event consists of a hybrid format lecture event. The lecture invites renowned sociologists Dr. Robert Crosnoe and Dr. Shannon E. Cavanagh to present their forthcoming book, The Journey into Adulthood in Uncertain Times, which explores how young people in the United States navigate the increasingly complex and prolonged transition into adulthood.

Drawing on a new application of life course theory (the journey perspective), as well as multiple sources of population and qualitative data, the authors examine the lengthening span of time that young people in the U.S. take to transition into adult roles since the early 1970s, with a particular focus on the potential disruption of the Great Recession of the 2000s. From a developmental vantage point, it maps out the common trajectories that young adults in recent cohorts have taken as they moved from their late teens through the mid-twenties. From an experiential vantage point, it explores how young adults have made sense of and gained meaning from the ups and downs of coming of age during the modern era. The result is a sociological story about gradual versus revolutionary change in the ways that young people become adults, one that grounds the growing social panic about young adults today in a more complicated but less alarming reality. That story identifies the young people who are in need of attention, sheds light on important instances of resilience, and informs the public about a vital segment of the population that continues to perplex, fascinate and worry.

The purpose of the Rose Speaker Series is to support public engagement with cutting-edge sociological research. This event aims to bring scholars, students, and members of the academic community together for an accessible and thought-provoking conversation about inequality, generational experiences and the challenges facing young adults today.