Exploring the Intersectionality of Gender Roles, Religion, and Cultural Identity: A Study of Third-Generation Turkish Immigrants in Europe: France Example

Öz

This study investigates the gender role attitudes among third-generation Turkish immigrants in France, focusing on individuals aged 18-25 who were born and raised in France, received a formal education, and identify as highly religious. Building on the framework of cultural adaptation, this research explores how these young adults balance traditional Islamic gender norms with the secular, egalitarian values prevalent in French society. Through qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with seven participants, this study identifies key themes related to gender roles, familial responsibilities, and the influence of education and religiosity on gender perceptions. The findings reveal a dynamic interplay between cultural heritage, religious teachings, and exposure to progressive societal values, with a notable shift toward egalitarian attitudes, especially among women. The study emphasizes the role of education and social networks in fostering more inclusive gender perspectives while also highlighting the challenges these individuals face in reconciling their cultural and religious identities within a secular context. This research contributes to broader discussions on migration, integration, and gender dynamics, providing insights that inform policies aimed at promoting social cohesion and gender equality in multicultural European societies.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• migration
• turkish diaspora
• integration policies
• gender roles

Kaynakça

1. Al-Bukhari, M. I. (870). Sahih al-Bukhari. (M. M. Khan, Trans.).
2. Berry, J. W. (1997). Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46(1), 5–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1997.tb01087.x
3. Bejarano, C., Manzano, A., & Montoya, C. (2011). Tracking the Latino gender gap: Gender attitudes across sex, borders, and generations. Sociology Compass, 5(11), 939–953. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9020.2011.00429.x
4. Bowen, J. (2006). Why the French don’t like headscarves: Islam, the state, and public space. Princeton University Press.
5. Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
6. Carol, S., & Koopmans, R. (2013). Dynamics of contestation over Islamic religious practices in Western Europe. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 36(7), 1214–1234. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2013.785782
7. Cesari, J. (2006). When Islam and democracy meet: Muslims in Europe and in the United States. Palgrave Macmillan.
8. Çelebi, E. (2023). Religion and gender role adaptation among immigrant communities in Europe. Journal of Migration Studies, 18(2), 123–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jms.2023.01.008

9. Diehl, C., Koenig, M., & Ruckdeschel, K. (2009). Religiosity and gender equality: Comparing natives and Muslim migrants in Germany. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 32(2), 278–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870801961784
10. Drouhot, L., Aubry, P., & Ogg, J. (2023). La population musulmane en France: Un état des lieux démographique et sociologique. INSEE. Retrieved from https://www.insee.fr/en/statistiques/3556794
11. Esposito, J. L. (1992). Women in Muslim family law. Syracuse University Press.
12. Eurostat. (2019). Migrant integration statistics. Statistics Explained. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Migrant_integration_statistics
13. Fargues, P. (2008). Emerging demographic patterns across the Mediterranean and their implications for migration through 2030. Migration Policy Institute. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/emerging-demographic-patterns-across-mediterranean-and-their-implications-migration-through
14. Fassin, D. (2013). Enforcing order: An ethnography of urban policing. Polity Press.
15. Fernando, M. L. (2009). The veil in the West: Christian Joppke, Veil: Mirror of identity (Cambridge, Polity Press, 2009). European Journal of Sociology, 50(3), 519–522. https://doi.org/10.1017/s000397560999035x
16. Gallard, J., & Nguyen, J. (2020, November 6). Il est temps que la France appelle à de véritables sanctions contre le jeu d'Erdogan. Marianne. Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://www.marianne.net/agora/tribunes-libres/il-est-temps-que-la-france-appelle-a-de-veritables-sanctions-contre-le-jeu-derdogan
17. Idema, H., & Phalet, K. (2007). Transmission of gender-role values in Turkish-German migrant families: The role of gender, intergenerational, and intercultural relations. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 31(2), 169–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2006.07.003
18. Işık, Y. (2022). Navigating religious identity and gender expectations in immigrant families. International Journal of Social Integration, 15(1), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/ijsi.2022.1087910 Inglehart, R., & Norris, P. (2003). Rising tide: Gender equality and cultural change around the world. Cambridge University Press.
19. Inglehart, R., & Norris, P. (2004). Sacred and secular: Religion and politics worldwide. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511790861
20. Inglehart, R., & Norris, P. (2012). Muslim integration into Western cultures: Between origins and destinations. The Political Quarterly, 83(3), 292–304. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.2012.00951.x
21. Joppke, C. (2009). Veil: Mirror of identity. Polity Press.
22. Kaya, A., & Demirtaş, F. (2020). Intergenerational shifts in gender role expectations among Turkish immigrants in Europe. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 46(3), 459–475. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2020.1710420
23. Koydemir, S., & Schütz, A. (2012). Psychosocial adjustment and mental health of Turkish immigrants in Germany. International Journal of Psychology, 47(3), 187–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207594.2011.626047
24. Küçüker Sirene, Ö. (2019, January 24). De la discrétion à la mobilisation, les Turcs de France sortent de l’ombre. TRT France. Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://www.trt.net.tr/francais/europe/2019/01/24/de-la-discretion-a-la-mobilisation-les-turcs-de-france-sortent-de-l-ombre-etude-1132484
25. Laurence, J., & Vaisse, J. (2006). Integrating Islam: Political and religious challenges in contemporary France. Brookings Institution Press. https://doi.org/10.7864/j.ctt6wpftj
26. L’Intérieur, M. de. (n.d.). Accueil. https://www.immigration.interieur.gouv.fr/
27. Ministère de l’Intérieur. (2023). Le contrat d’intégration républicaine. Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/
28. Mitchell, T. (2017, November 29). Methodology: Europe’s growing Muslim population. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/11/29/appendix-a-methodology-europes-muslim-population/
29. Muslim, I. H. (875). Sahih Muslim. (A. H. Siddiqui, Trans.).
30. Nauck, B. (2000). Integration or ethnic stratification? The need for integration of migrants in Germany and France. The European Journal of Social Sciences, 38(2), 219–236.
31. Pailhé, A. (2015). Union formation and partner choice in a cross-national perspective: The role of exogamy in immigrant integration. Demographic Research, 33(16), 409–442. https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2015.33.16
32. Peek, L. (2005). Becoming Muslim: The development of a religious identity. Sociology of Religion, 66(3), 215–242. https://doi.org/10.2307/4153097
33. Phalet, K., & Schönpflug, U. (2001). Intergenerational transmission of collectivism and achievement values in two acculturation contexts: The case of Turkish families in Germany and Turkish and Moroccan families in the Netherlands. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 32(2), 186–201. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022101032002006
34. Read, J. G. (2003). The sources of gender role attitudes among Christian and Muslim Arab-American women. Gender & Society, 17(4), 483-500. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243203255672
35. Röder, A., & Mühlau, P. (2023). Gender attitude convergence among immigrant-origin youth in Europe. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 50(8), 2023–2043. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2023.2287404
36. Scott, J. W. (2007). The politics of the veil. Princeton University Press.
37. Simon, P. (2012). French national identity and integration: Who belongs to the national community? Migration Policy Institute. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/FrenchIdentity.pdf
38. Thornton, A., Alwin, D. F., & Camburn, D. (1983). Causes and consequences of sex-role attitudes and attitude change. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 211–227. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095106
39. Timmerman, C. (2008). Gender role behavior and migration: The case of Turkish and Moroccan immigrants in Europe. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6179-4
40. Tissot, S. (2015). Good neighbors: Gentrifying diversity in Boston's South End. Verso Books.
41. Verkuyten, M. (2007). Social psychology and multiculturalism. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1(1), 280. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00011.x
42. Weil, P., & Porter, C. (2008). How to be French: Nationality in the making since 1789. Duke University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780822389477
43. Zhou, M. (2021). Generational change in immigrant communities: A study on gender norms and adaptation. Migration and Society, 8(4), 56–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/mgs.12324