New study reveals young people showed agency during the pandemic (Nuckols)
The findings reveal that while many experienced instability, young people also showed resilience and adaptability. They made proactive choices — such as seeking new education paths, relocating, or financial planning — to cope with career uncertainty. At the same time, they turned to social media for emotional support, connection, and information during periods of isolation.
The study highlights how differences in national welfare systems and pandemic policies shaped young people’s experiences. Young adults in Nordic welfare states appeared better protected against financial stress, while British young people faced greater precarity.
This interdisciplinary dissertation combines theories from life trajectories, human development and media providing new insights into how social systems and individual agency intersect during times of crisis. It also draws attention to rising concerns around post-pandemic loneliness and the double-edged role of social media as both a support tool and a potential source of anxiety or disinformation.
“The pandemic didn’t just delay milestones — it changed how young people think about work, money, and social life,” Nuckols explains. “Understanding these impacts helps us prepare better support structures for future crises, especially during the current, crises-ridden decade.”
The public examination of MSocSc Julia Nuckols’s doctoral dissertation, The pandemic youth: life course and social challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic among young people, will be held on the 16th of May at 12.00, at Ģֱ main building (C2). The opponent will be Professor Gary Pollock (Manchester Metropolitan University) and the custos will be professor Terhi-Anna Wilska (Ģֱ)
About
Julia Nuckols obtained her Master of Social Science degree in sociology from the Ģֱ. Between 2021 and 2024, she worked as a doctoral researcher in the discipline of Sociology at the Ģֱ.
Her research interests include youth studies, social media, and crisis research. Her doctoral research has been funded by the DigiConsumers- research project (The Strategic Research Council in connection of the Research Council of Finland, and COVID-19 supplementary funding of the Research Council of Finland), and the Ģֱ.
