Cohabitation as a Resistant Response to Structural Inefficiencies in Ilam City: A Qualitative Study Using Grounded Theory

Subject Areas : Urban Sociological Studies

HosseinAli Ghajari ^{1 *} , Shirin Khanian soumar ²

1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran (Corresponding Author).
2 - M.A. Student, Department of Sociology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2024-10-24 Accepted : 2025-03-02 Published : 2025-09-09

Keywords: : Resistant response, cohabitation, grounded theory, Ilam city,

Abstract :

Purpose:
The present study aims to sociologically investigate the phenomenon of cohabitation as an urban phenomenon and one of the key issues of interest to urban sociologists in the city of Ilam.

Methodology:
This research was conducted using the grounded theory method. The study population consists of Ilam citizens who live in cohabiting relationships. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and theoretical saturation was reached after 17 interviews. Data analysis was carried out using the three-stage coding process: open, axial, and selective coding.

Findings:
According to the findings, the causal conditions include: financial and economic pressures in marriage decision-making, individual motivations and needs in choosing a lifestyle, and personal experiences influencing attitudes toward marriage and cohabitation.
Contextual conditions include: family and cultural pressures and their impact on marriage, the role of social and familial supervision in shaping relationships, and legal and geographical barriers to marriage.
Intervening factors consist of globalization, psychological fears and obstacles in marriage decisions, familial and social pressures, and economic and financial constraints.
Strategies include: cultural transformation and social acceptance of modern lifestyles, management and protection of privacy in relationships, and education and awareness-raising to reduce social conflicts.
The consequences of cohabitation involve: psychological and social outcomes of cohabiting life, legal and social problems due to lack of acceptance, and economic as well as physical-sexual health impacts on quality of life.

Based on the overall analysis, the core category that encompasses all dimensions of the cohabitation phenomenon in Ilam is:
“Cohabitation as a resistant reaction and active adaptation of Ilam youth in response to economic, cultural, legal, and familial constraints on formal marriage.”
This core category indicates that cohabitation is a logical and proactive response to unfavorable conditions and multiple existing barriers within society.