Introduction
For the last 2 centuries the peoples of Southeast Asia (SEA) experienced rapid changes in their societies brought about by the influx of political and religious influences from other nations and by global breakthroughs in technology. SEA states have shown, in varying degrees, their capacities for change. But beneath the rapid social and material transformations, traditional beliefs and life patterns continue to provide the framework that guides most of people's life activities. Some may view this continued reliance on ‘what has always been’ as resistance to progress. However, historical accounts show that the ability of the SEA peoples to absorb and accommodate various influences, while not allowing these influences to radically transform their societies, has been the major source of stability and resiliency (Vatikiotis 1996).
The youth of SEA embody both their societies' vulnerability to the turbulence of rapid change and their societies' strength that emanates from the bedrock of tradition. In SEA societies, youth are viewed as the hope of the family's survival and as the symbol of passion and vitality in society. At the same time, youth are viewed as victims of modernization, the sector most vulnerable to the rapid progress in society. These images interact with lives of youth, structuring their relations with others and enabling them new degrees of autonomy.
SEA states generally accept the United Nations (UN) definition of youth as those who do not have the full legal status and roles of adulthood, and consequently, unlike adults, they do not have access to family, professional, and political rights (UN 1997a).