Beyond Western Norms: Understanding Emerging Adulthood Among Indigenous Populations Across the Americas

Understanding how young people transition into adulthood is critical for both policy and scholarship, yet much of what we know is drawn from WEIRD, majority populations and may not reflect the realities of indigenous communities. Indigenous young adults often face socioeconomic disparities and enduring inequalities rooted in colonialism, which shape opportunities for education, employment, and family formation. Using data from IPUMS International, this presentation examines the extent to which 18-29 year olds from indigenous groups across Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the United States, and Uruguay meet traditional and established markers for adulthood, including college completion, employment, marriage, and fertility. Results are discussed in light of whether markers for adulthood are culturally sensitive to socioeconomic experiences across indigenous communities. By situating emerging adulthood—a developmental stage characterized by fluid life decisions and delayed attainment of traditional adult roles—within the lived experiences of indigenous populations, we highlight how socioeconomic and colonial contexts influence life-course transitions. Further, we underline the need for more inclusive, culturally grounded approaches to understanding processes around adulthood across contexts.