Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography
Whereas the emergence of pyramid schemes exerted considerable impacts on people’s lives, up to now, far too little attention has been paid to the experiences of members from the sociological perspective, particularly in non-Western contexts. Therefore, this study illuminates social processes underly...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Lodz University Press
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Qualitative Sociology Review |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/qualit/article/view/11324 |
| _version_ | 1828978734744469504 |
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| author | Saeed Keshavarzi Ali Ruhani Soheyla Hajiheidari |
| author_facet | Saeed Keshavarzi Ali Ruhani Soheyla Hajiheidari |
| author_sort | Saeed Keshavarzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Whereas the emergence of pyramid schemes exerted considerable impacts on people’s lives, up to now, far too little attention has been paid to the experiences of members from the sociological perspective, particularly in non-Western contexts. Therefore, this study illuminates social processes underlying participation in such schemes in a less studied social setting, Iran. This article also critically traces the social and psychological consequences of membership in pyramid schemes. We adapted a critical ethnographic approach, including participant observation of local branch offices, followed by 16 in-depth interviews with the former members of schemes. Our findings suggest that the practices deployed by the schemes lead to the building of social identity, namely, “superhuman,” mainly based on the misinterpretation of the real world. Finding the reality surrounded deliberately contrasted with the firms’ promises, the constructed identity fails, and members lose their social capital. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:24:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5e306d9d7aea42209a4ee74567ed1326 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1733-8077 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:24:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Lodz University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Qualitative Sociology Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-5e306d9d7aea42209a4ee74567ed13262022-12-21T22:56:04ZengLodz University PressQualitative Sociology Review1733-80772021-10-0117410411710.18778/1733-8077.17.4.0611224Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical EthnographySaeed Keshavarzi0Ali Ruhani1Soheyla Hajiheidari2Independent Researcher, IranYazd University, IranYazd University, IranWhereas the emergence of pyramid schemes exerted considerable impacts on people’s lives, up to now, far too little attention has been paid to the experiences of members from the sociological perspective, particularly in non-Western contexts. Therefore, this study illuminates social processes underlying participation in such schemes in a less studied social setting, Iran. This article also critically traces the social and psychological consequences of membership in pyramid schemes. We adapted a critical ethnographic approach, including participant observation of local branch offices, followed by 16 in-depth interviews with the former members of schemes. Our findings suggest that the practices deployed by the schemes lead to the building of social identity, namely, “superhuman,” mainly based on the misinterpretation of the real world. Finding the reality surrounded deliberately contrasted with the firms’ promises, the constructed identity fails, and members lose their social capital.https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/qualit/article/view/11324pyramid scheme firmssocial construction of superhumancritical ethnography |
| spellingShingle | Saeed Keshavarzi Ali Ruhani Soheyla Hajiheidari Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography Qualitative Sociology Review pyramid scheme firms social construction of superhuman critical ethnography |
| title | Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography |
| title_full | Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography |
| title_fullStr | Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography |
| title_short | Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography |
| title_sort | mechanisms of identity construction among members of pyramid schemes in iran a critical ethnography |
| topic | pyramid scheme firms social construction of superhuman critical ethnography |
| url | https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/qualit/article/view/11324 |
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