Social Barriers Marriage Among Students: A Phenomenological Exploration of Lived Experiences within the Academic Cultural Context

Bagherianfar, Mostafa; Nasirzadeh, Somaye; Azizimahmoodabad, Mehran

doi:10.22034/jsi.2026.2105200.1860

Social Barriers Marriage Among Students: A Phenomenological Exploration of Lived Experiences within the Academic Cultural Context

Articles in Press

Authors

Mostafa Bagherianfar ¹

somaye nasirzadeh ²

mehran Azizimahmoodabad ³

¹ Assistant Professor Department of Educational and Curriculum Innovations Institute for Research and Planning in Higher Education, Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of Higher education management studies, Institute for Research and Planning in Higher Education, Tehran, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 14665-889, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/jsi.2026.2105200.1860

Abstract

This applied research aims to explore the lived experiences of students regarding the social barriers marriage within the context of academic culture. Grounded in an interpretive paradigm, this study employed a qualitative approach using a phenomenological design. The target population consisted of postgraduate students at universities in Tehran. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling, utilizing a hybrid strategy of “ideal cases,” “snowball sampling,” and “maximum variation,” which continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The findings revealed five primary social barriers: (1) institutional discouragement of marriage and structural university limitations; (2) the transformation of student identity toward prioritizing academic achievement; (3) the evolution of social networks affecting mate selection; (4) the dominance of peer norms and negative social pressure against marriage; and (5) the discrepancy between the student lifestyle and the requirements of marital life. These categories were further elaborated through sub-themes and the participants’ personal narratives.

Keywords

Marriage

Academic Culture

Social Barriers

Subjects