Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
PhD Student in Sociology Economic and Development, Quchan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Quchan, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
3
Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
4
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Quchan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Quchan, Iran
Abstract
Background and aim: The issue of lacking a birth certificate in Iran, despite the requirement for birth registration within a limited period after birth, reflects a form of intergenerational injustice. The absence of legal identity forces individuals into marginalization and involuntary migration; therefore, they should not be regarded as equivalent to other marginalized populations. Accordingly, the present study aimed to explore in depth the meaning of life from the perspective of individuals without legal identity and to illuminate their lived experiences and perceptions.
Data and method: This study was conducted within an interpretivist paradigm using a descriptive phenomenological approach. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling, and sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved with 15 participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and, following transcription, were analyzed using initial coding, focused coding, and theoretical coding. During the theoretical coding stage, the constant comparative method was employed.
Findings: The findings, organized into six main themes and nine subthemes, revealed that individuals without legal identity continuously experience fear of deportation, deprivation of fundamental rights, social exclusion, anxiety, self-hatred, and persistent vulnerability within their lifeworld. They expressed negative feelings toward their ancestors, whom they perceived as responsible for their current predicament. Their personal freedoms and citizenship rights remain suspended, and legally they have become invisible, nameless individuals. Consequently, they hold little or no hope for the future.
Conclusion: The research findings provide a deeper understanding of the subjective meanings that participants attach to their lived experiences. Living without legal identity represents a condition imposed by previous generations. Identity deprivation extends far beyond poverty in all its forms, as the absence of legal identity renders virtually every potential solution to their problems contingent upon obtaining a birth certificate and legal recognition.
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