This paper examines selected studies on youth transition in Western societies, and demonstrates their impact upon the direction of parallel research in non-Western, developing societies, such as the Philippines in particular. On the theoretical level, this paper uses Bourdieu’s theory on social reproduction and forms of capital to emphasize the specific historical and cultural contexts of the Philippine colonial experience. The paper highlights critical empirical observations on some important research dimensions of Western youth transition studies. At the end of this paper, research recommendations in studying youth transition in the Philippines are identified. Ultimately, this paper invites a shift in the ways in which youth transition is to be re-thought in the context of a colonial history and in relation to new challenges of the global world.
