What is the role of education in a time that has lost a clear vision of the future, where the idea of a single, shared model of humanity seems to be a remnant of a bygone era? What role should educators play now that young people face deep uncertainty about their future, where making plans has become more difficult, traditional norms have lost much of their authority, and increasingly large flows of people have created diverse communities in which different cultures live side by side—no longer united by the belief that others will eventually assimilate into “our” culture?

Faced with the unsettling features of our modern liquid world, many young people tend to withdraw—some into the web, into virtual games and relationships, others into anorexia, depression, alcohol or drug abuse—in the hope of shielding themselves from a dark and turbulent universe; others still turn to more violent forms of behavior.

In this short book, Zygmunt Bauman, in conversation with Riccardo Mazzeo, reflects on the condition of today’s youth and the role of education and educators in these challenging times.