LAUSR

The aim in producing this book is to bring focus to, shed light on and to discuss positive youth development, social entrepreneurship, and community development, with a specific focus on young people’s opportunities to change their everyday life, life conditions and future. The book presents key concepts, theory and knowledge in relation to youth, social entrepreneurship, its significance to young people’s development, as well as insight into theoretical approaches to development, social and educational inequality, and youth, social entrepreneurship in relation to local community – especially in an American context. The basis of the book is how youth social entrepreneurship may support and help young people in disadvantaged living conditions, i.e. social, financial and educational. The special contribution of the book is the fact that it subscribes to the theme of social justice and how creating opportunities for disadvantaged youth in local communities can also create development and opportunities for young people living there. Initially, the book presents an overview of existing research in the field that contributes to emphasise the importance of helping young people to create opportunities in their own lives. Kruse also points out the existence of uncertainty how to define the concept of youth social entrepreneurship, which will have an impact on both practitioners and politicians. As Kruse points out: