How can 'binge drinking' be explained and understood? Is alcohol consumption related to the particular cultural characteristics of some European countries? Should heavy drinking cultures be seen as a mainstream youth phenomenon or as marginal - and is this different in different countries? A team of leading researchers addresses these questions and more in their analysis of the alcohol consumption patterns of European young people. Alcohol consumption is an important marker of transition from childhood to early adulthood, yet the timing, intensity and purpose of adolescent drinking varies dramatically between countries. The contributors provide cross-national comparisons to investigate how drinking behaviour varies, examining factors such as gender, societal context and family socio-economic backgrounds. Youth Drinking Cultures offers a comprehensive set of perspectives on adolescent drinking in Europe. In linking issues around social identity and the life-course with a highly topical area of media and policy concern, the book will be of great value to sociology and social policy scholars, especially youth researchers, and also to professionals working with young people.

Contents: Foreword; Youth drinking cultures: European experiences, Margaretha Jÿrvinen and Robin Room; Understanding cultural differences in young people's drinking, Robin Room; Drunken behaviour, expectancies and consequences among European students, Barbro Andersson and Björn Hibell; Gender differences in youth drinking cultures, Salme Ahlström; The impact of socioeconomic status on adolescent drinking behaviour, Matthias Richter, Anja Leppin, Saoirse Nic Gabhainn and Klaus Hurrelmann; The impact of parents on adolescent drinking and friendship selection processes, Rutger C.M.E. Engels, Rebecca N.H. De Leeuw, Evelien A.P. Poelen, Haske van der Vorst, Carmen S. van der Zwaluw and Jan F. van Leeuwe; Consumption beyond control. The centrality of heavy social drinking in the lifestyles of English youth, Howard Parker; Being 'taught to drink'. UK teenagers' experience, Martin Plant and Patrick Miller; Alcohol use among Danish adolescents: a self- and social identity perspective, Kirsten Verkooijen, Gert A. Nielsen, Nanne de Vries and Kim Bloomfield; Conclusion: changing drunken component or reducing alcohol-related harm, Margaretha Jÿrvinen and Robin Room; Index.