Document Type : Scientific Research Manuscript
Authors
1
Assistant Professor in Sociology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
2
Assistant Professor, Sociology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
3
PhD Student, Sociology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Over the past decade, the divorce rate in Iran has shown a troubling upward trend, affecting not only major metropolitan areas but also rural regions. This study explores the experiences of women dealing with the phenomenon of divorce in three villages—Gishi, Qomshan, and Qaleh-Bala—located in eastern Isfahan. The research method is qualitative, employing a thematic analysis approach. Sampling was conducted purposefully, combining two techniques: extreme case sampling and snowball sampling. In total, 17 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who were either divorced or on the verge of divorce. After transcription and conversion into text, the interviews were coded. From the initial and context-dependent themes, 27 sub-themes, 7 main themes, and one core category were extracted. The main themes of the study include: “Faulty Architecture of Marital Life,” “Lack of Lasting Intimacy and Emotional Support Between Spouses,” “Irrational Marriage Within the Framework of Undemocratic Family Decision-Making Systems,” “Marriage as a Victim of Imbalanced Attitudes Toward Relationships with the Opposite Sex,” “Erosive Social Harms Affecting Family Life in Rural Areas,” “The Historical Struggle of Rural Women Living with Husbands’ Deviant Behaviors,” and “Challenges That Intensify the Problems of the Family Institution in Rural Areas.” All these themes revolve around the central category: “Divorce as the Product of Contradictory Lives Led by Quasi-Democratic Subjects Within Traditional Structures.”
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