''Did We Study in vain?'' White Collar Unemployment in Turkey

The equation "Diploma = job" is becoming increasingly invalid. Youth unemployment and unemployment of the 'educated' are no longer exceptional both in the world and in Turkey. While the structural nature of unemployment is becoming evident in contemporary capitalism, educated, qualified employees, that is, "white collar workers", are also becoming victims of the process of insecurity and losing their privileges. In a world where the 'meaning' attributed to people and the 'meaning' they attribute to themselves is determined by their work situation, unemployment is a source of deep crisis that is not only economic. The present research focuses on the social-psychological side of white-collar unemployment in Turkey. It looks at how unemployment is experienced as a social experience and "felt unemployment". How do unemployed university graduates cope with unemployment, and by what methods do they look for work? What kind of discrimination mechanisms do they think they are subject to? Even though they are insecure in life, what can they trust - for example, family - to what extent can they trust? How are they emotionally affected by the experience of unemployment? How do they express themselves? How does the experience of unemployment interact with middle-class 'values' and 'identity'? Where do white-collar unemployed people see the source of the unemployment problem? What and whom are they angry at? Does unemployment prompt them to 'think about something' or 'do something'? Observations about the KPSS 'scourge', the troubles and struggles of teachers who are not appointed, and the unemployment experiences of bank employees, one of the main examples of 'disposable' style employment, also accompany this questioning. A book that listens to the white-collar unemployed and makes them talk...



Number of Pages: 352

Year of Printing: 2011


Language: Turkish
Publisher: Iletisim Publishing

Number of Pages: 352

First Print Year: 2011

Language Turkish