This issues of "Soundings" looks at how, in the 1990s, the myth of a golden age of youth has become tarnished. The late 1980s marked the advent of a significant political and cultural gap between generations that has continued to grow. Young people use a different political language from their parents. Innovations in music, computers and media, and the emergence of new issues, such as environmentalism, have served to move young people away from the political culture of the older generation. This publication explores the nature of these generational differences, as well as similarities and connections. Contributors include: Jonathan Keane on ecstasy; Bilkis Malek on Asian youth; Ian Brinkley on youth unemployment; and Rupa Huq on dance and techno.