Unemployment Among Youths in Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Sociological Insights
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23918/ijsses.v12i1p192Keywords:
Unemployment, Youths, Educational Mismatch, Economic and Political instability, Kurdistan Region of IraqAbstract
Unemployment under youth is considered one of the most significant issues in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. This review article aims to examine the main socio-economic, educational, and political factors that influence youth unemployment rates, their effects on youth’s social and economic well-being, and the polities and initiatives that could reduce the region’s unemployment rate. The article approaches the mentioned phenomenon from a sociological perspective by focussing on important ideas and theories to offer an in-depth investigation regarding its roots and implications. A qualitative desktop research method was conducted to investigate the main topic of the study. In addition, the collected data was investigated using a thematic content analysis. A number of essential issues, including an over reliance on the petroleum industry, educational mismatch within the labour market, and the reliance public sector employment are key reasons beyond youth unemployment in the mentioned region. This review study comes to the conclusion that the region’s unemployment rate has reached a critical point. Public and private sectors have to find effective pathways to create a stable future for the population in question.
References
Abdullah, A. (2023). Youth Employment Initiatives in Kurdistan Region: Government and NGO Efforts. Kurdistan Development Review, 6(1), 89-104.
Al-Ali, S. (2020). Economic Diversification and Youth Employment in Iraq: Challenges and Opportunities. Baghdad: Iraqi Development Journal.
Al-Dabbagh, H. (2021). Youth Unemployment and Social Cohesion: A Sociological Analysis of Marginalization in Iraq. Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 34(2), 123–145.
Al-Khafaji, M. (2018). Corruption and Political Instability in Iraq: Impact on Youth Employment. International Journal of Public Administration, 25(1), 45–67.
Al-Muhsin, M. (2023). Economic Challenges and Youth Unemployment in Kurdistan Region: A Sectoral Analysis. Middle East Economic Journal, 7(2), 45-58.
Al-Tamimi, S. (2020). Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Kurdistan Region: A Study on Youth Employment. Kurdistan Economic Journal, 5(1), 10-25.
Baban, H. (2024). Grace and Glory: Kurdistan’s Arabian Horse Show. Kurdistan Chronicle,2024(21),14-19.
Bauman, Z. (2000). Liquid Modernity. Polity Press.
Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. Free Press.
Blumer, H. (1969). Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. 1st edn. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Harvard University Press.
Cincotta, R. P., & Engelman, R. (2000). Nature’s Blind Spot: The Role of Demography in the Emerging Global Crisis. Population Action International.
Durkheim, E. (1893). The Division of Labor in Society. Free Press.
Dzaye, L. C. (2023). Education and Employment Mismatch in The Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Causes and Implications. In Economic and Social Development (Book of Proceedings), 101st International Scientific Conference on Economic and Social Development. 165-166.
Edward, R. & Rawanduzy, M. (2018). Youth Unemployment, A Major Challenge for Iraq’s Next Government. Retrieved from: Youth unemployment a major challenge for Iraq’s... | Rudaw.net
Erim, D. (2015). Youth Unemployment in Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Challenges and Prospects. Journal of Kurdish Studies, 1(2), 45-60.
Freajah, L. Y. (2020). Roots in Antiquity: A Comparative Study of Two Cultures.
Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Prentice-Hall.
Green, F., & Henseke, G. (2014). The Role of Education in the Labour Market: Current Research and Policy Issues. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 30(4), 578-596.
Gunter, M. M. (2011). The Kurdish Question Revisited. Middle East Policy, 18(2), 48-60
Hassan, R., Ahmed, T., & Saleh, Z. (2020). Mental Health Implications of Unemployment Among Iraqi Youth. Iraqi Journal of Psychiatry, 17(3), 200–218. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043296
Hama, B. (2021). Economic Diversification and Youth Employment in Kurdistan Region: Policy Recommendations. Middle East Economic Review, 32(3), 77-92.
Ibrahim, M. A. (2007). The Economy of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: A Historical and Economic Overview. Middle Eastern Studies, 43(1), 91-113.
International Crisis Group. (2022). Iraq's Kurdish Crisis and the Road Ahead. Retrieved from [https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/ peninsula/iraq].
International Crisis Group. (2023). Youth Unemployment and Socio-Political Stability in Iraq. Retrieved from [https://www.crisisgroup.org/global-search].
International Labour Organization. (2022). Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment in in the Kurdistan Region. Retrieved from [https://www.ilo.org].
International Labour Organization (ILO). (2023). Youth Unemployment Rate. Retrieved from [https://www.ilo.org/global/statistics-and-databases/statistics-overview-andtools/definitions/lang--en/index.htm].
Kassem, T. (2023). Educational Mismatch and Youth Employment in Kurdistan Region. Journal of Education and Labor Studies, 15(4), 77-93.
Korkmaz, S. (2022). The Psychological Impact of Youth Unemployment in Kurdistan Region. Journal of Kurdish Studies, 3(1), 35-50.
Kurdish Red Crescent. (2021). Annual Report. Retrieved from [ https://hskurd.org/en/]. Kurdistan Region Statistics Office. (2023). Youth Demographics and Employment Trends. Retrieved from [https://krso.gov.krd/en].
Kurdistan Regional Government. (2023). Annual Economic Review. Retrieved from [https://gov.krd/boien/why-kurdistan/region/facts-figures/region-kurdistan-economy/].
Lake, D. A. Martin, L. L. & Risse, T. (2021). Challenges to the liberal order: Reflections on international organization. International organization. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818320000636
Lyotard, J.-F. (1979). The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. University of Minnesota Press.
Marx, K. (1844). Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844. International Publishers.
Marx, K. (1867). Capital: Critique of Political Economy. Penguin Classics.
McDowall, D. (2004). A Modern History of the Kurds. I.B. Tauris.
Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, Self, and Society. University of Chicago Press.
Middle East Institute. (2021). Social Norms and Youth Employment in Kurdistan. Retrieved from [https://www.mei.edu/publications].
OECD. (2020). Youth Employment and the Labour Market. OECD Publishing.
Osman, H. (2024). Future Directions for Tackling Youth Unemployment in Kurdistan Region. Economic Policy Review, 8(2), 21-36.
Parsons, T. (1951). The Social System. Free Press.
Piore, M. J. (1979). Birds of Passage: Migrant Labor and Industrial Societies. Cambridge University Press.
Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon & Schuster.
Rudaw Research Center. (2023). Youth and Employment Situation in the Kurdistan Region. Retrieved from [https://rudawrc.net/en/pdf/article/youth-and-employment-situation-in-the-kurdistan-region 2023-08-06 ].
Sen, A. (2000). Social Exclusion: Concept, Application, and Scrutiny. Asian Development Bank.
Standing, G. (2011). The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class. Bloomsbury Academic.
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (2025). Youth Employment in Iraq and Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Received from [https://projects.rvo..nl/open-data].
UNDP. (2021). Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Program. Retrieved from [https://www.undp.org/iraq/press-releases/asiacell-and-undp-iraq-join-efforts-support-youth- employment-and-entrepreneurs].
UNDP. (2022). Infrastructure and Development in Kurdistan. Retrieved from [https://www.undp.org/iraq].
UNESCO. (2022). Education and Employment in Kurdistan: Bridging the Gap. Retrieved from [https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco].
Weber, M. (1946). From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology. Oxford University Press.
World Bank. (2021). Kurdistan Region of Iraq Economic Report. Retrieved from [https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documentsreports/main-report].
Yaman, H. (2021). Applying Modern Literary Theories to Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry: A Critical Analysis of the “Rite of Passage” Model. İslam Araştırmaları Dergisi. https://doi.org/10.26570/isad.957271
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies
International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies applies the
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic Licence (CC BY-NC 2.0)
