North and South of the Transition. A Comparison of Subjective Perceptions of Adulthood in Uruguay and the United States

Daniel Ciganda, Programa de Poblacion, Uruguay

In this paper we use an identical set of questions applied in Uruguay and the United States to compare people’s opinions about the importance of the traditional markers on the TA (leaving home, finishing school, getting a full-time job, becoming financially independent, marrying and becoming a parent) and the desired age at which to experience these events. Theoretically, we would expect to find sharp differences in the structure and timing of life course events during the transition to adulthood because of the level of development and the class structure between the two countries. Consistent with these expectations, we found that the two countries present different models of the TA, at least at the level of social perceptions: Protracted transitions with emphasis on the "public" events and early departure from the parental home in the United States, vs. shorter, "family-oriented" transitions in Uruguay, with greater tolerance to inter-generational households.