The writings in this publication are based on presentations of papers given in aninternational conference on youth affairs and youth research. This conference wascalled “Contemporary marginalization and exclusion of young people – whose real-ity counts?” The conference was organized by ESF Employment Youthstart Initia-tive Nuori-Youth project partners: Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, Finland,and the Ministry of the Flemish Community Education Department, Belgium, in co-operation with the Research Unit for Sosiology of Education at the University ofTurku. Persons active in youth projects, officials in governmental departments,policy makers, youth researchers and others interested in youth affairs were invitedto participate. The conference was multidimensional and multidisciplinary. Thispublication comprises many, though not all the presentations given in the confer-ence.