Youth in Their Struggle for Recognition

Abstract

Based on field research conducted in the Greater Tunis area, this article explores the forms of recognition sought by young people in relation to employment and examines how these forms intersect with work-related values. The analysis reveals the complex and diverse trajectories of identity construction that unfold in their struggle for recognition, with significant variations shaped by labor market position, level of education, social background, and gender. Despite this heterogeneity, research findings suggest that young people’s trajectories converge around a search for recognition, often expressed through unconventional or improvised forms. These trajectories reflect a dual dynamic, oscillating between aspirations for recognition and a critical stance toward wage labor often perceived as a space of recognition denial.