Transitions to Adulthood in the Middle East and North Africa

Michael Gebel is Full Professor of Methods of Empirical Social Research at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany. His main research interests include transitions to adulthood, youth unemployment and temporary employment, international comparative research, and quantitative methods. Stefanie Heyne is Teaching and Research Associate at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany. Her main research interests are social inequality, labor market sociology, and women in society.

• 1. Introduction PART I: WOMEN IN MENA COUNTRIES: THEORY AND BACKGROUND 2. A Micro-macro Theory of Young Women's Transition to Adulthood 3. The Context of Case Studies: Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iran in Comparison 4. Data and Methodology PART II: WOMEN'S SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM 5. Education Failures? The Problem of Limited Access to Education and Early Dropout Among Young Women 6. The Determinants of Young Women's Access to Higher Education PART III: HOUSEWORK OR WAGE WORK? YOUNG WOMEN'S TRANSITIONS AFTER LEAVING EDUCATION 7. Back Home: Young Women's Transition from School to Inactivity 8. Stiff Competition for Privileged Jobs: Young Women's Transition from School to Work 9. A Polarized World of Female Employment? The Quality of First Employment PART IV: FAMILY FORMATION 10. Young Women's Transition to Marriage and Household Formation in Difficult Times 11. Completing the Pathway: The Transition to First Birth PART V: CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSIONS 12. Ways to Social Integration of Women in MENA