Victims of the Labor Market: A Qualitative Study on Unemployment among University Graduates

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 یاسوج

2 Dept. of Social Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran

Abstract

Each year, many young individuals enroll in universities with the goal of securing employment, yet a significant portion struggle to find job after graduation. This has resulted in unemployment among becoming a prevalent social problem in the country. This study utilized the grounded theory method to explore this phenomenon within the social context of Yasouj city. The participants were 14 unemployed graduates of Yasouj University who were purposively selected. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. This process revealed nine categories: the economic state of the labor market and the shortcomings of the education system as causal conditions of unemployment; bureaucratic corruption as the context conditions; individual setbacks as the intervening condition of unemployment; enhancing capabilities and adaptation as the strategies of graduates in facing unemployment; and lastly, psychosomatic and social repercussions as the consequences of unemployment. The findings resulted in the emergence of the core called victims of the labor market. These individuals are caught in a cycle of unemployment due to a flawed economic system, inadequate skills training from university, and the complexities of labor market demands.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Strategic Research on Social Problems

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 27 June 2026

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 15 May 2026
  • Revise Date: 05 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 27 June 2026
  • Publish Date: 27 June 2026

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