Gendering the NEET category: young NEET women in Turkey

Abstract

ABSTRACT Turkey has the highest proportion of young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET) among OECD countries, standing at 26 percent of all those aged 15–29 years. Notably, however, a young woman in Turkey is three times more likely to be out of education and employment than a young man. Based on statistical data on the NEET category and qualitative research drawing on experiences of young NEET women in six large cities in Turkey, this article discusses the gendered characteristics of this category. This article aims to reconcile competing perspectives in youth studies, namely transition and cultural perspectives, and argues for the importance of introducing cultural elements and gender perspective in the NEET literature, for which the Turkish case offers an important case study.