Narrative of Generation Z's beliefs and actions towards inequality (Case of study: Citizens of Khomeyni Shahr, Isfahan)

Social inequality is defined as differences in social positions among population groups (e.g., social classes, castes, or age cohorts).Prior research shows that individuals' perceptions of prevailing social justice and of how income and resources are distributed are shaped by their own mental belief systems.The present study aims to examine, in depth, Generation Z's perceptions of existing inequalities in Iranian society.This qualitative study, conducted in 2023 in Khomeyni Shahr, Isfahan, employed a thematic analysis approach.Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 16 residents born between 1998 and 2008.Participants were selected via convenience and purposive sampling while ensuring maximum variation in age, gender, and socioeconomic status; recruitment continued until theoretical saturation was reached.Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase procedure for thematic analysis.Findings indicate that participants view the prevailing social conditions as discriminatory -particularly against women-and regard the distribution of wealth and access to positions and offices as unjust.In their view, the absence of meritocracy in appointments and rewards, alongside the entrenchment of discriminatory laws and norms, constitute key roots of the status quo.The reported forms of discrimination generate multi-level consequences across economic (poverty, class stratification, unemployment), social (erosion of trust and social capital, conflict, migration), and individual-psychological domains (feelings of failure, anxiety, depression), and elicit a spectrum of responses ranging from active (protest, awareness-raising, legal recourse) to passive (silence, acceptance, disillusionment with seeking redress).Overall, the results suggest that, shaped by repeated experiences of structural and cultural discrimination, Generation Z adopts a critical stance toward social justice-one that influences their value orientations as well as their individual and collective actions.