Individualism and its different faces: some cases from post-socialist Estonia

Abstract

This article aims to show the different faces of individualism as a phenomenon among different age groups. Relying on several authors dealing with individualism, it is argued that individualism is a paradoxical phenomenon and can involve controversial characteristics. Drawing on ethnographic study of a youth seminar and in-depth and focus group interviews, it demonstrates that among different age cohorts the traits of individualism can vary, depending on their socialisation experience. The young people participating in the seminar (born between 1985 and 1990) consider self-realisation and individual responsibility as central in planning one's life. At the same time, the need for structural support is voiced. The older respondent group (born between 1971 and 1977) made their transition to adulthood in a situation of weak institutional support and consider it important not to rely on social structures. Yet, even though self-realisation is important for them, ‘selfhood’ has not been central in planning their life's course. Both cohorts can be characterised by different traits based on individualisation theories. Thus, the proportion of structure and agency in individualism can vary among different groups (age or social).