Adultescenza: quid est? Identità personale, aspettative sociali ed educazione degli adulti

Abstract

This article explores the concept of “adultescence” in educational perspective, in particular as an adult education issue. It is an ambiguous neologism, crasis of “adult” and “adolescence”, and it is used to identify an adult who refuses to grow up, in terms of acquisition of mature and responsible conducts. It’s a social phenomenon which is increasing, and it has many educational implications, which involve intergenerational relationships and the role of adult identity. Starting from a critical review of the sources which attest the use and the meaning of this word, the article focuses on its antecedents (Peter Pan Syndrome) and the educational challenge that it represents. Finally, it pays attention at the Science of education perspective, hoping it guarding the adult education field and its effectively relationship with politics. The preferential context is Italian, but the considerations contained herein can be extended to wider contexts, because the “adultescence” seems to be a truly global fact.