Since August Compte and Karl Mannheim (but also since José Ortega y Gasset and Antonio Gramsci), the concept of generation has been a relevant topic in social sciences and humanities. As a metaphor for the social construction of time, it has been one of the most influential categories, not only in the theoretical debate but also in the public effects of youth research. Even if the uses and abuses of the concept are rooted in the European context during the period between I and II World War, it has been relevant in the ideological and political debates of other regions. This paper is an attempt to rethink the concept of generation from an historical perspective, pointing-out its relevance for contemporary youth debates.
generation; youth; sociology; Italy; Spain