An examination of opinions of young adult women, not in education or employment, on marriage

Its conceptualization not in education, employment or training (NEET), which has only recently started to take place in our local literature, categorizes a youth problem that is often addressed from various perspectives for young people who are neither involved in an educational activity nor work in a job that generates a regular income. In this study, this problem is examined from the perspective of both family studies and women's issues, within the scope of the views of university graduate young adult and single women on marriage. Today, the rate of participation in higher education among young women has exceeded that of men in their peer groups. However, the participation of these women in employment has difficulty in catching up with the male groups of their peers. Moreover in the social discourse, there are criticisms that refer to value transformations, such as the fact that young people often postpone marriage and the family institution loses its importance. However, the integration problem between education and the labour market, difficulties in the labour market, insecure and flexible working, low wages, and inflation rates, which are frequently rising in the Covid-19 pandemic, seem to discourage young people from processes that require serious capital, such as marriage. When it comes to highly educated women, it becomes impossible to think of the process independently of gender norms as well as the problems related to the current labour market. Because today, it has been confirmed in the literature that especially highly educated women have more egalitarian and democratic expectations in family roles as a quality that delays the age of first marriage. In the light of all this preliminary information, in this study, the discussions in question are examined in the context of the conceptualization of neither education nor employment, within the framework of the sample of single women between the ages of 20-29 who cannot work in a regular income-generating job, and who are not engaged in any educational activity. For this purpose, this research was designed by using the mixed methods research technique, which allows to make more comprehensive and in-depth inferences about the subject. In the research findings, it was seen that the sample in question was quite moderate about marriage, but idealized after the age of 25 for this, justifying this with long education processes and struggles such as unemployment. It has been understood that they are very concerned about having children, especially in terms of the opportunities they will provide to the child, and they develop sensitivity on the quality of the child rather than the number. Another factor that feeds all these concerns is the culture of incompetence, which has increased visibility compared to the past, among the research findings. In addition, when it comes to women, it has been viewed that one of the most important problem areas in marriage preferences is economic inadequacies, as well as concerns about the traditional patriarchal family, hegemonic masculinity culture and fears such as domestic violence. In the light of all these findings, it has been understood that marriage as a relationship type is still very important for the participants, but with the effect of modernization, a demand for a change in family practices that moves away from tradition and emphasizes sharing and partnership between spouses, and more selective preferences in choosing a spouse come to the fore.