Social Sciences

Abstract This article examines the limitations of variable-based approaches to the analysis of complex and contextual phenomena by rethinking the logic of causality in the social sciences. Variable-based approaches define causality primarily in terms of correlations or statistical effects between variables; as a result, causality is often assumed to be probabilistic, linear, and symmetric, and limited to answering “under what conditions” questions. In contrast, set-based logic redefines causality in terms of necessary and sufficient relations, allowing for the analysis of causal combinations, multipath ways, and asymmetries of relationships. By recognizing empirical heterogeneity and maintaining sensitivity to degree differences between cases, this approach strengthens the link between theory, conceptualization, and empirical analysis. The methodological framework FsQCA is introduced as an operational embodiment of this set-based logic. Using fuzzy sets, FsQCA allows for the simultaneous analysis of necessary conditions and sufficient combinations, examining causal multipaths, and confronting causal asymmetries. However, the success of this approach depends on a clear theoretical framework, precise conceptual calibration, and correct definition of sets and conditions, and reducing it to a software tool can reduce its explanatory capacity. The paper also analyzes the methodological implications of the transition from linear and symmetric causality to combined and asymmetric causality. This transition not only redefines research questions and the role of theory, but also transforms the concept of generalization and explanatory validity in multi-layered and complex social analysis. Finally, the paper argues that improving the quality of social research requires, above all, a rethinking of the logic of explanation, and that FsQCA, within the theoretical framework and given its limitations, allows for the production of more realistic and theoretically richer explanations.

Abstract Ethnic identity is a sense of belonging to a group based on kinship ties, shared language and culture, historical memory, and distinctive customs, and its extreme attachment can hinder the formation of national social capital. The present study aimed to identify factors influencing attachment to ethnic identity in Iran through a meta-analysis of sociological research conducted in this field. The research method was quantitative meta-analysis with purposive-non-probability sampling. Among 65 scientific documents from the Noormags, Magiran, Irandoc, and the Academic Jihad Database, 46 documents from the period 2002 to 2024 were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and analyzed using Cohen's d and Fisher's f tests. The results indicate that socialization, social cohesion, ethnic trust, social belonging, and social discrimination (social factors); mass media consumption, religious beliefs, cultural capital, cultural awareness and literacy, ethnic norms and beliefs (cultural factors); political development, political participation, political efficacy, reference model of ethnic elites (political factors); relative deprivation, economic participation, socio-economic base, economic justice and equality (economic factors); and stereotypes, ethnic and normative labeling, social status, and feeling of satisfaction (psychological factors) have an impact on attachment to ethnic identity.

Abstract Marriage in Iranian society—particularly among young people—is no longer perceived as a self-evident and pre-defined milestone in the life course and is increasingly marked by patterns of delay and suspension. This study aims to understand the social and cultural processes underlying this transformation and to explain the logic of action among individuals who postpone or avoid marriage. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach and grounded theory methodology. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with single adults aged 32 and above in Tehran and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. The analysis led to the identification of the core phenomenon of “Choosing Singlehood in the Narrow Passage of Safety: The Redefinition of Marriage as a Conditional and Risk-Laden Choice.” This process reflects a shift in which marriage is redefined from a biological and normative imperative to a conditional, calculative, and risk-laden decision. The causal conditions shaping this phenomenon include the individualization of values, transformations in the emotional economy of marriage, a crisis of meaning surrounding the institution of marriage, negative experiences of close others, and structural insecurities. In response to these conditions, actors adopt strategies such as the rational suspension of marriage, excessive evaluative scrutiny in partner selection, prioritization of self-realization, and the conscious acceptance of singlehood. The consequences of this process include structural delays in marriage, an increased likelihood of permanent singleness, strengthened individuality and self-reliance, reduced inclination toward childbearing, and a dual experience of satisfaction and loneliness. The findings indicate that the decision to remain single is not merely a passive reaction to economic constraints, but rather the outcome of an institutional transformation in the meaning of marriage and the growing legitimacy of the single lifestyle.

Abstract The presence of Afghan nationals in Iran over the past five decades has been accompanied by successive waves of migration. Recent developments in Afghanistan and the return of the Taliban have intensified the massive influx of migrants—predominantly undocumented—and the "Regularization Plan for Foreign Nationals," aimed at identifying, controlling, and deporting them, represents Iran's latest policy in this regard. This study employs the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) method and analyzes documentary, field, and statistical data to provide a balanced evaluation of the plan's potential positive and negative consequences across social, economic, security, and international dimensions. The findings indicate that although the implementation of the plan is associated with positive achievements such as reducing urban crime, alleviating the burden of hidden subsidies, and enhancing the sense of social security, it faces serious challenges at the social and economic levels, including rising xenophobia, the promotion of violence, violations of children's rights, the collapse of low cost employment networks, the weakening of small scale industries, and the potential exacerbation of extremism and human trafficking. At the international level, the policy may also pose challenges to Iran's foreign relations and human rights reputation. Finally, drawing on the SIA approach, a set of preventive, mitigative, and compensatory policies is proposed to manage the negative repercussions while reinforcing the plan's positive achievements, in order to facilitate its humane, effective, and balanced implementation.

Abstract This study aims to develop a theoretical framework for analyzing the processes of formation, stabilization, and transformation of participatory local organizations. Conducted in response to the limitations of rationalist and functionalist approaches in explaining institutional and intra-organizational dynamics of collective action, the research draws on constructivist institutionalism to reconceptualize the organization as a multilayered field of action, meaning, discourse, and institutional structures. Through a critical review of the constructivist institutionalist literature, key concepts such as institutionalization, legitimacy, discourse, and agency are identified and integrated into an analytical model. The proposed framework combines narrative-based analysis with a three-level perspective—structural, agential, and discursive—enabling the reconstruction of institutional processes in organizations operating within specific socio-historical contexts and under conditions of conflicting institutional pressures. This approach not only understands the organization as a constructed yet institutionalized entity, but also offers a dynamic, meaning-oriented, and context-sensitive analysis of collective action and its institutional transformations by bridging micro- and macro-levels. The proposed model is particularly applicable to the study of local organizations characterized by participatory structures, resource and interest sharing, and discursive diversity, especially within societies undergoing transition.

Abstract This study, adopting the perspective of new institutionalism and drawing on Douglass North’s theory of social orders, examines the impact of institutional quality and power structures on women’s economic participation in Iran. The conceptual framework of the research is based on the distinction between open-access and limited-access orders, with Iran being considered as an example of a limited institutional order in the analysis. The research data were extracted from international statistical sources and cover the period from 2011 to 2021. The research method employed is quantitative secondary data analysis. The findings indicate that factors such as weak rule of law, concentration of power, and structural constraints on access to equal opportunities constitute some of the major barriers to women’s economic participation. In contrast, economic variables such as economic growth, in the absence of effective institutions, have limited and unsustainable impacts. Accordingly, institutional restructuring, the expansion of democracy, the political and educational empowerment of women, and the reduction of institutional monopolies are considered essential prerequisites for improving women’s economic participation. The low rate of women’s economic participation in Iran and the Middle East compared with global levels reflects cultural, economic, and political constraints and confirms the significant role of institutional structures. Therefore, the central question of this study is: What institutional and social factors constrain women’s economic participation, and how can this situation be analyzed from a sociological perspective?

Abstract This study was conducted to qualitatively explore the underlying patterns of early marriage within the rural context of Kuhdasht County. The participants included 16 women from the Zirtang-e Seyab rural district of Kouhdasht county, who had married before the age of 18 and were selected through snowball sampling. Data were collected through in-depth, face-to-face interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The participants’ mean age at marriage was 14.6 years. Initial coding yielded 179 codes, which were reduced to 92 concepts after removing duplicates. Subsequently, by categorizing similar concepts, 13 sub-themes were extracted, which were finally integrated and organized into 3 main themes: “Persistence of Traditional Socio-Cultural Patterns,” “Economic and Non-Economic Poverty and Deprivation,” and “Individual Immaturity and Unfinished Childhood.” The findings indicated that child marriage is a complex issue, with its numerous cases in rural areas stemming from the intertwined nature of traditions, unequal cultural structures, social limitations, and economic pressures, which make informed decision-making for marriage difficult. A necessary step for change in such a situation is to raise awareness among parents and families about inappropriate cultural traditions and their irreparable psychological and physical harms to girls.