The Corona generation: coming of age in a crisis

What impact will Covid-19 have on ‘Generation Z’? Sociologist Jennie Bristow and her 16-year-old daughter, Emma, explore the symbolic significance of the Spring 2020 lockdown for the generation coming of age. Drawing on their own reflections, and a snapshot of young adults’ experiences in the UK and US, they reflect on the impact of isolation, cancelled exams, school closures and reliance on social media, in the context of a culture of fear and global economic collapse. The authors conclude that society’s response to the pandemic raises some troubling questions about how adults view their responsibility to young people in times of crisis.