Youth research in Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

Youth research in Australia and New Zealand is influenced by the distinctive environment in which it is undertaken. Australia is a large, sparsely populated continent and a population of approximately 19 million people, who live in cities and regional towns, largely concentrated on the coastal fringe. New Zealand consists of two main islands, and has a relatively small population of approximately 4 million people. While they are both migrant societies that have Indigenous populations, the different historical origins and subsequent social and economic development between the two countries means that today there are both historic and contemporary differences that impact on young people’s live..