Türk-Rus Evliliklerinin Sosyolojik Boyutuna Dair Bir Çözümleme
An Analysis of the Sociological Dimensions of Turkish-Russian Intermarriages

Summary/Abstract: The number of Turkish-Russian marriages has steadily increased since the second half of the 1990s. These intermarriages reflect not only individual choices but also the cultural, social, and human dimensions of relations between Türkiye and Russia. This article aims to shed light on the sociological aspects of intermarriages between Turks and Russians. To this end, in addition to data obtained from interviews conducted with Russian women married to Turkish men, news reports on Turkish-Russian marriages published in the newspapers Hürriyet, Milliyet, and Sabah were subjected to qualitative content analysis. The media generally portray Turkish-Russian intermarriages from a positive perspective, while Russian women are represented through certain stereotypical images. Against this background, this study addresses the following questions: To what extent do Russian women adapt to Turkish society? What role do cultural differences play in these intermarriages? How are Turkish-Russian intermarriages represented in the Turkish press? What differences exist between the personal experiences of the interviewed Russian women and the media’s portrayal of these intermarriages and of Russian women? The findings reveal that Russian women addressed the challenges they encountered in their marriages by adopting one of the acculturation strategies identified in John Berry’s theoretical framework, namely assimilation, integration, or separation.

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