Afanasieva, L., Bukrieieva, I., Glyns'ka, L., Hlebova, N., Oleksenko, R. / Volume 10 - Issue 38: 234-244 / February, 2021 234

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2021.38.02.23

Sociocultural integration of in the context of inter-ethnic cooperation

СОЦІОКУЛЬТУРНА ІНТЕГРАЦІЯ ТУРКІВ-МЕСХЕТИНЦІВ В КОНТЕКСТІ МІЖЕТНІЧНОГО СПІВРОБІТНИЦТВА

Received: February 27, 2021 Accepted: March 28, 2021

Written by: Lyudmila Afanasieva85 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9386-6529 Iryna Bukrieieva86 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7444-8321 Lyudmila Glyns'ka87 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2223-2024 Natalia Hlebova88 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3417-1337 Roman Oleksenko89 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-514X

Abstract Анотація

The article considers the main stages of В статті розглянуті основні етапи становлення, formation, the main internal and external factors основні внутрішні і зовнішні чинники розвитку of development of the Ukrainian community of української громади турків-месхетинців в Meskhetian Turks in the current contexts of актуальних контекстах соціально-політичних socio-political realities of today. Based on the реалій сьогодення. На основі аналізу analysis of theoretical sources and applied теоретичних джерел і прикладних досліджень research of problems, factors, nature and проблем, чинників, характеру і спрямувань directions of ethnocultural adaptation of етнокультурної адаптації турків-месхетинців в Meskhetian Turks in , there are the Україні засвідчують тенденції зростання tendencies of growth of social mobility and соціальної мобільності і міграційної migration activity, democratization of marital активності, демократизації шлюбно-сімейних and family relations, diversification of відносин, диверсифікації форм зайнятості, employment, significant changes in social, значних видозмін в соціальному, культурному cultural and educational environment, places of та освітньому середовищах місць компактного compact residence of Ukrainian Meskhetian проживання українських турків-месхетинців. Turks. The culturological and sociological study Актуалізується культурологічне і соціологічне of the problems of sociocultural adaptation and вивчення проблем соціокультурної адаптації та the definition of the content elements and the визначення змістових елементів і цільового target direction of the system target regional спрямування системних цільових регіональних programs of ethnocultural adaptation of the програм етнокультурної адаптації молоді youth of Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine are турків-месхетинців в Україні. Обґрунтовується actualized. It is justified the need to predict потреба прогнозування соціокультурних sociocultural trends and timely creation of тенденцій і своєчасного створення адекватних adequate mechanisms and development the механізмів і розробки форм і методів forms and methods of coordination of cultural координації культурної політики в сфері освіти policy in the field of education in the у полікультурному середовищі південно- multicultural environment of the south-eastern східних регіонів України. regions of Ukraine.

85 Associate Professor of the Department of Sociology Bohdan Khmelnitsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University, Ukraine. 86 Associate Professor of the Department of Sociology Bohdan Khmelnitsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University, Ukraine. 87 Associate Professor of the Department of Sociology Bohdan Khmelnitsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University, Ukraine. 88Associate Professor of the Department of Sociology Bohdan Khmelnitsky Melitopol State Pedagogical University, Ukraine. 89 Dr. Sc. in Philosophy, Professor of the Department of Social and Human Sciences, Dmytro Motornyi Tavria State Agrotechnological University, Melitopol, Ukraine.

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Key Words: Turkish-Meskhetian community of Ключові слова: турецько-месхетинська Ukraine, sociocultural adaptation, multicultural спільнота України, соціокультурна адаптація, territorial community, principle of багатокультурна територіальна громада, interculturality, ethnocultural policy. принцип інтеркультурності, етнокультурна політика.

Introduction

Analysis of the specifics of historical origins of identification of the main factors of the process migration processes and the course of further of sociocultural integration and adaptation of sociocultural adaptation of many national Meskhetian Turks in Ukrainian society. minorities in Ukraine indicates that migration processes with their peculiarities of close The concept of interculturalism lies in finding the humanitarian contact of different groups of forms, means and mechanisms to support cultural population are accompanied by significant differences in the process of interaction «within changes both in sociocultural environment of the framework of fundamental democratic values regions that is connected with the formation of and international human rights treaties». Based certain types of perception the minorities by on this, ethnocultural adaptation of Meskhetian other social groups and different adaptive Turks is considered through the prism of value- consequences for the minorities themselves and emotional attitudes with a view to predicting is characterized by different levels of motivation approaches to the development of mechanisms for active public life, readiness for sociocultural for the formation of tolerant relations in the dialogue. It is especially difficult to adapt when multicultural environment of the south-eastern it comes to ethnic, national and religious regions of Ukraine, in particular in Zaporozhzhia differences, when there are interpersonal / Azov region (Pryazovia). intrapersonal ethnocultural choices – when ethnic stereotypes and norms of behavior, formed The aim of the study is to clarify the role of in another sociocultural way of life, are sociocultural factors that determine the nature of insufficient for full communication, and new the processes of sociocultural integration of the norms or stereotypes of interethnic dialogue are members of Turkish-Meskhetian communities in in the process of their formation. polyethnic territorial communities in modern Ukraine. The duration of compact living together in different regions of Ukraine of many ethnic Literature Review groups contributed to their adaptation. However, the multi-ethnicization of many regions of the An important place in the study of problem of country caused the problem of regional cultural social adaptation of migrants representing the and historical diversity, which is most evident in ethnic groups in Ukraine is occupied by the features of geopolitical, ethnocultural and works of Ukrainian scientists: V. Arbenina, religious orientations. Objectively, these trends O. Blinova, A. Leonova, V. Yevtukh and many are largely due to the painful processes of change others on various issues related to ethnicity, in the social status of a large part of the ethnic groups. population. The object of our study is one of the least studied until recently ethnic group of Among the researchers who are directly involved Meskhetian Turks, where are the certain in the Turkish-Meskhetian issues, we note the elements of their isolation, the problem of works of Ukrainian scientists: M. Gomaniuk, realization of certain cultural and educational O.Sirinska and M. Mayorov, O. Malynovska, needs, features of family and marriage relations V. Szczepanskiy, O.Yarosh, Y. Zolotarеv who and religious life. European integration policy are the authors of a number of scientific works and involvement of Ukraine in pan-European related to the stay of Meskhetian Turks in migration processes in the period of their Ukraine. Much work is dedicated to Meskhetian significant intensification raises the problem of Turks in other countries. The most famous are the full integration of migrants and establishment of works of E. Aktepe, М. Tekdere, А. Shukhan intercultural interethnic interaction between the Hiurbiuz, A. Khachili, A. Poladoglu. local population and ethnic groups whose ethnocultural characteristics are quite different The analysis of scientific sources allows to state and unusual. An important scientific task is the that active systematic researches of communities culturological analysis of the features and of Turks-Meskhetians as representatives of

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236 separate ethnic groups in Ukraine (Yevtukh, For conducting in-depth and semi-structured Troschinsky, Galushko, & Chernova, 2004) have interviews (fifteen pieces), guides were been going on since the late 1990s (Klynchenko, developed, based on analyzed archival & others 1999). In 2006, a thorough documents, literature sources, and other ethnosociological essay by O. Malynovska sociological research. «Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine» was published, which presented a detailed picture of the socio- During the empirical research by in-depth economic life of Meskhetian Turks at that time interview method among the settlement (Malinovskaia, 2006). The Turkish-Meskhetian inhabitants of the Melitopol region Meskhetian minority in Ukraine was mainly formed as a Turks, the topical problems of the Meskhetian result of migration from , where the regional community, which need authorities' Turks were deported in 1944 from southern support, in particular the organization of (Meskhi) and forced to leave owing to language, legal and cultural training, assistance interethnic conflicts in 1989-1990 and seek in solving social and economic issues and asylum in the former in Ukraine. promotion of various interaction forms, were The detailed analysis of the peculiarities of the highlighted. formation and adaptation of the Turkish- Meskhetian minority in Ukraine is presented in a The issues that were appropriate in this study comprehensive dissertation study by M. related to the current situation, identification and Gomaniuk «Social adaptation and integration of gender hierarchy, the content and form of gender Meskhetian Turks in Ukrainian society» (2007) socialization processes of the Turkish- (Gomaniuk, 2007). Meskhetian people, the content and structure of the Turkish-Meskhetian ethno-cultural Methodology stereotype of femininity, Problems of gender inequality in the Turkish-Meskhetian ethno- Assessment of the forced migrants' adaptation environment related to the traditional lifestyle, processes under different civilizational factors of the distribution of gender roles and the other cultures influence on the socialization responsibilities in the modern Turkish- processes in their ethnic environment, in the Meskhetian community were considered in the post-Soviet space is based on the structural- instrumentalist and constructivist research functional methodological paradigm, which paradigms of socio-normative cultures. includes demographic, economic, political, cultural directions taking into account the In the above context, to find out the reasons, historical aspects of interethnic interaction. motives, mental aspects of the Meskhetian women's behavior in different life cycles of To analyze trends in the educational level of Melitopol district and Melitopol, six wedding Meskhetian-Turks, vertical social mobility, ceremonies (video materials were provided by migration activity, and the diversification of respondents) of Meskhetian Turks were employment forms of Ukrainian Meskhetian- analyzed, which embody the moral and ethical Turks youth, a comparative analysis of the public ideals of the nation in creating a new family, view opinion poll results was used. of marriage and the relationship between spouses, reflecting the deep history of the nation, Assessing the satisfaction level of cultural and the evolution of the family, the gender program educational needs of female representatives of for Meskhetian women, family values and the Meskhetian Turk communities in the context providing a social mechanism for transmitting of various influencing factors (features of the traditional gender roles and norms of behavior to social structure, economic and political behavior the next generations. of the region, attention to the problems of state authorities, local government and public In order to identify ways and possibilities of organizations, media, religious communities, migrants' functional integration into Ukrainian educational institutions in different countries) society under the impact of living in an alien used the content analysis of articles published in environment, as well as obstacles and difficulties the regional media of the areas where they live in this process factors contributing to the in. destruction of destructive ethnic stereotypes in the ethno-contact environment, secondary The applied part of the study was conducted analysis of sociological research results (in using such methods as archival document particular studies by A. Gomoniuk, analysis, observation, in-depth interview and A. Malinovskaya) was additionally used. semi-structured interview techniques. Statistical materials were used: the results of the

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population census, regional (Zaporizhzhia, about half of whom had Turkish citizenship and , Nikolaev and Odessa regions), mostly lived in large cities (Antalya, Bursa and demographic and socio-economic statistics, Istanbul). Due to the pressure from the Russian analysis of state authorities' documents and authorities and attacks by the local nationalist literary sources. population in 2004 at the Krasnodar territory, a large number of Meskhetian Turks took Results and Discussion advantage of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) program and were able to The aggression of the Russian Federation in the relocate to the United States. Donbass and the annexation of the in 2014 became the starting point for the new trials According to statistical sources, the Turkish of the community which in Cyrillic sources is community in Ukraine today consists mainly of mostly called Meskhetian Turks, and in Turkic- Meskhetian Turks and natives of (as of speaking sources – Akhiska Turks. In particular, 2009, there were 5,394 Turkish citizens living in in December 2015, the Turkish authorities Ukraine (According to the All-Ukrainian organized the evacuation of two thousand community «Vatan», from 8 to 10 thousand Meskhetian Turks from the war-torn Donbass Meskhetian Turks live in Ukraine now). (Slovyansk, Ukraine) to Istanbul. The works of M. Mayorov, O. Sirinska (Sirinska, & Mayorov, Most Meskhetian Turks arrived in Ukraine in 2015), D. Zolotarеv (Zolotarеv, 2020) and were 1989-1990 immediately after ethnic persecution devoted to the situation of Meskhetian Turks in the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan, or after the beginning of the conflict in eastern immigrated later to reunite with their relatives. In Ukraine. In the context of studying the problems 1991, the displaced people were granted of Ukrainian-Turkish relations and the activities Ukrainian citizenship. The main places of of Islamic organizations in Ukraine, the nature of residence in Ukraine were the Autonomous the situation of Meskhetian Turks is reflected in Republic of Crimea (969 people) (before a number of works by researchers S. Danilov, annexation), region (1791 people), V. Szczepanskiy, O. Yarosh (Danilov, 2015); Kherson region (3736 people), region (Szczepanskiy, 2017); (Yarosh, 2014). The (758 people), Kharkiv region (392 people), problems of Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine and Zaporizhzhia region (357 people) (State immigrants from Donbass are considered in the Statistics Committee of Ukraine, 2001). work of Turkish researchers E. Aktepe, A. Hiurbiuz, M. Tekdere (Aktepe, Tekdere, & The very name of the Meskhetian Turks is Abdullah Şuhan Gürbüz 2017). The materials of conditional. Some researchers attribute this the International Symposium of Meskhetian ethnic group to the Turks living on the Turkish- Turks, which took place in Erzincan in 2017, Georgian border, others to Georgians who came were widely covered in Ukraine through social under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and were networks (Hüsrev, 2017). forced to convert to Islam. This view is widespread in Georgia (Hacılı, Poladoğlu, 2001). According to available statistics, the total number However, the name Meskhetian Turks is used in of Meskhetian Turks in the world from various international documents. Although at different estimates ranges from 400 to 700 thousand times they were called Meskhetians, Sunnis people (Kazakhstan: 180 thousand, Russia: 90 Georgians, Tatars, Azerbaijanis. In Turkey, they thousand, Azerbaijan: 87 thousand, Turkey: 76 became known as the Akhaltsikh Turks, thousand, Uzbekistan: 38 thousand, Kyrgyzstan: according to the largest city in the region of the 42 thousand, USA: 16 thousand, Ukraine: 8 former settlement – Akhaltsikhe. In terms of thousand, Georgia: 1.5 thousand). Meskhetian language and traditions, Meskhetian Turks are Turks who survived the pogroms in the Fergana close to Anatolian Turks. The vast majority of Valley of Uzbekistan in 1989 were forced to Meskhetian Turks are Sunnis Muslims. relocate to neighboring Central Asian countries, as well as to Russia and Ukraine. Today, small groups of Meskhetian Turks live in 11 regions of Ukraine. The vast majority of them About 40,000 Meskhetian Turks migrated to live in the steppe southern Ukrainian villages of Turkey after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Kherson, Mykolaiv regions, as well as Azov The special Turkish law in 1992 allowed them to region (Pryazovia) in Zaporizhzhia region. migrate to Turkey, and as of August 2004, more Today, they are citizens of Ukraine, teaching than 32,000 migrants had received residence and Ukrainian to children in Ukrainian schools. work permits from the Turkish government, Although there are almost no people left who

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238 remember their native places in the resources, but relatively sparsely populated Transcaucasus. Even older persons, who have steppe region, where agricultural enterprises heard eyewitness stories about them, are have traditionally attracted migrants, providing becoming fewer and fewer. However, the them with housing. She considers the internal relatives gather to cross several state borders at migration to be another important factor in the weddings and other holidays. They have their formation and growth of Turkish communities: own all-Ukrainian national-cultural society people try to move to the places where are more «Vatan», which means «homeland». Its leader is representatives from the same tribe, closer to a member of the Council of Representatives of relatives and acquaintances. Marital migration is National Minorities under the President of an important factor (Sirinska, & Mayorov, 2015). Ukraine. At the same time, the research shows that Meskhetian Turks community has long The analysis of scientific sources shows that experienced significant problems with the Meskhetian Turks living in Ukraine are education of children and youth, especially characterized by multilevel identification. women. To a large extent, this was due to Perceiving the Turkic version of ethnogenesis, communication within Turkish communities the vast majority of Ukrainian Turks identify exclusively in Turkish, as well as to the themselves primarily as «Turks» and secondly as distribution of gender roles, the intra-community «Meskhetian Turks (Akhaltsikh Turks)». hierarchy, and its leading role of elders. Although the «repatriation» motive remains the Therefore, in the first years of living in Ukraine, main ethnic marker among most Meskhetian only a few young people were able to continue Turks, there has been a recent decline in the their education in secondary and higher number of its bearers (among the youth). It can education institutions. Many people did not even be assumed that it will be replaced by civic finish high school. There was no talk of teaching identification, which testifies to the integration of girls at all: they left school after 7-8 years of Meskhetian Turks into Ukrainian society. study. However, as the economic situation in the country improves and living standards rise, more The spread of the endoethnonym «Turks» among and more families are trying to provide children Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine suggests that with a full education, realizing that it is the key migratory attitudes among Meskhetian Turks are to better employment and earnings. Almost all gradually receding into the background, young men graduate from school, many of them becoming an element of verbal behavior, a part continue their education. The attitudes towards of ethnic myth. Avoiding the «Meskhetian» education and girls are changing. Although many toponymic predicate, Ukrainian Turks reorient of them still drop out after the 9th grade, they are their own vision of «home / homeland». Since increasingly receiving a high school diploma as there were no organizations in Ukraine (before well as higher education. At the same time, the the aggression of the Russian Federation in the level of student achievement among Meskhetian Donbass and the annexation of Crimea) whose Turks, according to teachers, is sufficient, but on program goal would be to go to Turkey, the average lower than local students have. This researchers suggested that such a reorientation reduces their chances of continuing the education had also an integration character (Sirinska, & and the upward social mobility associated with Mayorov, 2015). education. The main reason is in the lack of language skills among children that come to According to M. Gomaniuk, the adaptation of school. They have to spend all their time on Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine is quite successful. mastering it in primary school, which causes This was facilitated by the fact that the these students to lag behind in senior classes and Meskhetian Turks did not change their status that creates additional problems for the school. The they had in Uzbekistan. They remained villagers, teachers have to solve them on their own, as there did not change their livelihoods, etc., and are no special methods or programs designed for therefore the adaptation was easier. According to immigrant students. To a greater or lesser extent, E. Malynovska, since there were no state the school copes with this task. However, there resettlement programs in Ukraine, it took place are educational institutions that follow the path on its own initiative. However, the resettlement of least resistance, creating classes where the was determined by employment opportunities majority are Turkish children and the local and obtaining the public housing. That is why the population is represented by low-achieving newcomers settled mainly in the countryside of students. This approach consolidates the Kherson, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia backwardness of Turkish children in education, regions and the Autonomous Republic of does not give them any chance to establish social Crimea. That is, they settled in the rich in land ties outside their community, and cultivates a

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complex of inferiority which can be self- relations with Turkey. To a large extent, isolation, and aggression against the country of employment to the Meskhetian Turks was residence, complications of interethnic relations provided by construction companies from as a consequence (Sirinska, & Mayorov, 2015). Turkey operating in Ukraine. In particular, the Meskhetian Turks mentioned that they worked The is not mastered on the construction of Terminal D of Boryspil systematically by the Akhiska Turks in Ukraine International Airport, as well as on the – through the Turkish media, cinema and music, construction of highways, residential buildings, and for the most part there are some problems and mobile telephone infrastructure in various with the literary Turkish language, in particular regions of Ukraine. Since 2012, the citizens of with the written language (Gomaniuk, 2020). Ukraine, including Meskhetian Turks, have the However, according to M. Gomaniuk’s research, opportunity to be enrolled in universities of the the majority of Meskhetian Turks are aware that Republic of Turkey under the program for the language proficiency, personal acquaintances, countries of Black Sea region (Zolotarev, 2020). knowledge of the culture of the neighboring state A study of the community of Meskhetian Turks and education today are social capital that can of Mykolaiv region shows that today some young serve both respondents and both countries. people receive higher education in Turkey. If Therefore, today there are tendencies to change earlier there were quotas for entrants of the types of employment of the Akhiska Turks, Meskhetian Turks from Ukraine, today the and to increase the number of people with higher system had changed. All entrants, regardless of education. In particular, in the 1990s only a few origin, are competitively selected (Sirinska, & members of communities studied in Ukrainian Mayorov, 2015). Ukrainian Akhiska Turks enter and Turkish universities. Today the children and / entered mainly universities in Simferopol, grandchildren of many respondents and their Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk. Some of those relatives’ study to become doctors, programmers, who studied in Crimean and Donetsk educational agronomists, economists and more. institutions were forced to interrupt their studies. However, according to the researcher, higher The patrons of the Turkish state have education among Meskhetian Turks is an traditionally provided great support and application for vertical social mobility, for assistance to the Meskhetian Turks communities moving to cities, for modernization in general in this. For example, in 2005, a mosque named (Gomaniuk, 2020). after Suleiman the Magnificent was built and opened in at the expense of Turkish One of the important factors affecting the status businessman Salih Dzhykhan. The International of the Meskhetian Turkish issue in the context of Turkish School was opened in the Ukrainian state the international agenda, as well as influencing (Autonomous Republic of Crimea), where the processes within the communities of this Turkish, English, Crimean Tatar and French people, is the activities of national organizations were taught and included in the list of the 100 that exist in almost all Meskhetian Turkish best schools in the country. For the third year settlements. These public structures are since its founding, the school has succeeded in coordinated by the World Association of city and national competitions, as well as won a Akhiska Turks (DATÜB – Dünya Ahıska bronze medal at the International Olympiad in Türkleri Birliği), which works closely with Environmental Projects (INEPO) in Turkey. governmental and non-governmental Speaker of Parliament Dzhemil Chychek visited organizations of the Republic of Turkey, as well the Meridian International School, founded by as other countries of the diaspora (Zolotarеv, Turkish entrepreneurs in the Ukrainian capital in 2020). 2013. The researchers note that although 3,000 Although a significant part of Kherson Akhiska Meskhetian Turks expressed a desire to return to Turks remains living in rural areas, the range of their ancestral lands after the events in Donbas their employment has expanded somewhat in and Crimea, almost no one speaks of leaving recent years. Among them there are successful Ukraine as final. Houses and part of families businessmen, doctors, lawyers, engineers, remain here (Silayeva, 2021). A few decades industry and service workers. Some of them ago, interethnic relations between work in companies with Turkish capital, many of representatives of ancient ethnic groups and which are in Kherson region and in other regions Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine were mediated by of Ukraine (for example, companies that build socio-psychological mechanisms of stereotyping highways), or in companies that have trade perception (Blynova, 2011), some of which arose

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240 due to the lack of information about Turks. employment are diversifying, etc. This applies Today such factors of full-fledged adaptation as primarily to the Turkish-Meskhetian youth, correction of ethnopolitical management in the including women, although the level of places of residence of Meskhetian Turks within satisfaction of cultural and educational needs of the aggression of the Russian Federation become Meskhetian Turks is quite low (Gomaniuk, significant. 2007).

According to the expert assessment of the The analysis of the gender relations of the chairman of the International Society of Turkish-Meskhetian population showed that Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine «Vatan» Marat their value system is quite stable and family and Rasulov, about 70% of Meskhetian Turks who Islam were and remain the most important for the previously lived in the region returned to the Meskhetians. Family and country ties are of a liberated territories of Donbass (Sirinska, & great importance. The question of where you are Mayorov, 2015). Meskhetian Turks, who had to from usually means the village in Georgia which visit the Russian Federation, are disappointed your family comes from. Turks know and with the attitude of the Russian authorities remember names, dates of birth, places of towards the settlers. They note that they receive residence of their relatives up to the fourth a real help only from their relatives. The generation. Important family events, such as community is familiar with the situation in weddings or funerals play significant role for Crimea: the local Russian administration is communication. People not only communicate, forcibly relocating refugees from the conflict exchange information when meeting, but also zone (relocates from the peninsula to the solve important cases. For example, young hinterland). The annexation of Crimea by the people meet at weddings, parents agree, and Russian Federation and attempts to destabilize future married couples are formed. the situation in the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine have had a negative impact on the Gender inequality in the environment is directly situation of local Meskhetian Turks. There are related to the traditional way of life, distribution fears of overturning the conflict to the Kherson of gender roles and responsibilities, according to region: «they will pass through our people» which it is a woman who should take care of because of the places of compact residence of family comfort. Meskhetian Turks of Kherson region are located mainly near the administrative border with The theoretical sources also confirm that the temporarily occupied territory (Sirinska, & process of gender socialization of this people Mayorov, 2015). The representatives of the covered several stages, which differed in content community could not give the exact number of and form and were aimed at preparing the girl to Meskhetian Turks who moved to Kherson region perform key female social roles – wife, mother, from the ATO zone, but confirmed their presence housewife. The highest social status was and the fact that they mostly stayed with relatives occupied by elderly women, who managed to (Sirinska, Mayorov, 2015). It is characteristic realize fully these roles during their lives. For that the community of Meskhetian Turks of example, the wedding ceremonies of Meskhetian Mykolaiv region took care not only of migrants Turks embody the moral and ethical ideals of the to their area, but also the refugees from the people in creating a new family, the view of conflict zone. They got to the Russian Federation marriage, the relationship between spouses, through the «corridor» made to them by the reflects the deep history of the people, the Russian military and fighters. The refugees were evolution of the family, which allows to assert without documents and without possibility of the presence of gender hierarchy in spouse employment, and their relatives were their only relations. This hierarchy is manifested in double source of material assistance (Sirinska, & standards of moral evaluation of the behavior of Mayorov, 2015). husband and wife. In terms of quality and structure, the Turkish-Meskhetian ethnocultural Thus, based on the results of many studies, we stereotype of femininity in the eyes of men is can state that during the first decade of the stay largely correlated with the patriarchal canon. The in Ukraine there was a certain rural ghettoization realities of everyday life also show that socio- of the Turkish-Meskhetian population, which normative culture does not allow deviations from was locked in its rural ethnocultural ghetto. But the hierarchical model of gender relations. recently, the opposite trend has been observed: Therefore, it is expedient to consider not only the educational level of Meskhetian Turks is social issues, cultural identity, history, but also to increasing, vertical social mobility and migration identify the state of family relations of activity of Ukrainian Turks are growing, forms of Meskhetians at the current stage of their

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development, because family and Islamic After 30 years of living here, the representatives traditions were and remain the most important for of this community evaluate their move in general them. positively. Nazyra states: «It is good that we came here. So many people of Azerbaijan died The empirical basis of this study was the for nothing in Karabakh, in this war»; «In materials of interview with representatives of the general, Meskhetian Turks have been living in Meskhetian ethnic group of Melitopol district Krasnodar for 30 years without a residence and Melitopol – the unique city where permit. And there is a big difference in Ukraine. representatives of 93 ethnic and national groups The human rights exist here». However, the have lived harmoniously more than 200 years. gratitude to Ukraine, especially to the elderly The use of this method allowed the authors to persons, looks mostly like a guest's gratitude for obtain more complete (which is not always a good reception: «I want to thank you and the possible in the questionnaire) information about One who stands above us, that we live here as the causes, motives, mental aspects of the relatives, that we live as in our own home. Thank behavior of a Meskhetian woman in different life you for not insulting us, and for how people cycles. welcome us here...» (Iskander).

The survey shows that the strength of family and The arrival of Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine country ties among Meskhetian Turks is cannot be considered as an act of free choice. perceived as a guarantee of security and safety, They were forced to leave Uzbekistan as ethnic self-preservation. It is not surprising that refugees, but came to our country due to a certain business relationships are usually built on them coincidence. From the very beginning, they as well. According to the Meskhetian respondent considered their stay here as temporary. The Shamurat Shamylevych, the role of a woman in attitude to the current place of residence as a stop a Turkish-Meskhetian family «...by 99.9% is due on the way to wandering is still evident. Much to religion. Everything comes from religion. If less than the local population, the Meskhetian religion does not forbid, then the peculiarities of Turks are engaged in housing construction, nationality are affected. Initially, there could be adaptation of the homes: «When we, women, ask one in a thousand divorces in the Turkish- for something to rebuild or change in housing, Meskhetian community. And only as an but men do not want. There is no need, we have exception, for two reasons: the wrong behavior already done, we have already built and left of a woman and a man and the shame of the everything ...» (Nazyra). Although the families family, or with the consent of both parties, are growing, dividing, and increasingly the because of biological factors that make it members of the Turkish community are buying, impossible to continue the family in this couple. building, or rebuilding housing, the doubts about And so, the Meskhetian Turks respect and adhere the appropriate cost remain: «If I go, no one will to their traditions that are passed down from return the money to me...» (Shamurat). generation to generation». A sense of temporality is manifested in insecurity The analysis of documents and in-depth and constant vigilance. «First of all, people try to interviews conducted during the empirical study survive, to save themselves, their children. That's suggest that the content of such a gender program why they try to lay low» said Halyna for women was aimed primarily at strengthening Kuzadzhyeva, a young Turk. This opinion is the Meskhetian family, family values and confirmed by a local resident Nadiia providing a social mechanism for the transfer of Tovchyhrechko: «And yet they themselves and traditional gender roles and norms of behavior to the children are told not to squeak or say others generation. The main factor in the something, to be silent, quietly... The children development of the gender component of the constantly hear, be silent, say nothing, you are socialization of Meskhetian Turks into the not on your own homeland, you are abroad». Ukrainian community remains the patriarchal way of life of the community, religious canons Shamurat Akhmedov, a respondent to our and historical traditions. The specific situation of survey, was somewhat more optimistic about the immigrants and refugees was revealed in the problems with education. Although he contradictions and uncertainties of the concept of acknowledged the specifics of the national the homeland formed among Meskhetian Turks approach to education of the girls. He claimed in Ukraine. that «There are mostly 80 percent of Meskhetians educated. Women seem to be less educated in

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242 higher education, however, there are special residence permit and registration, the role of the secondary schools, where they can study». media, and so on. The problems directly related to cultural and socio-cultural adaptation are no So, today, based on the experience of more than less important, but poorly covered in the 30 years of life of Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine, literature: difficulties arising from a number of there is every reason to believe that this differences of ethnocultural nature, professional immigrant minority needs the support of the self-realization, psychological discomfort, lack authorities, in particular, with the organization of of communication, etc. These problems can be language, legal and cultural education, assistance leveled by systemic target regional programs of in solving socio-economic issues, assistance to ethnocultural adaptation of youth of certain national and cultural public organizations, ethnic groups. encouragement of various forms of interaction (Gomaniuk, 2007). In these conditions, the influence of cultural exchange factors on the transformation of As we can conclude from the results of many intercultural relations of the inhabitants of the studies, the situation of Meskhetian Turks in southern region of Ukraine becomes important. Ukraine allows us to predict that most of the For example, today the motivation for migration current citizens of Ukraine of Turkish- (condition for «entry») for the forced migrants Meskhetian ethnicity will remain in Ukraine are a shortage of labor resources in another area, forever, and will be one of the elements of the lack of interethnic tensions as a threat of diverse ethnic composition of its population. The impossibility of contact in intercultural relations, conclusions of the latest studies of the ethnic rejection of prejudice and choice of assimilation group of the Turkish-Meskhetian population in behavior as a strategy for immersion in cultural Ukraine over the past decades are showing the space at the places of new residence. Therefore, trends in social mobility and migration activity, the culturological and sociological study of democratization of marital and family relations, forms and methods of coordination of diversification of employment, significant intercultural aspects of cultural policy for the changes in Ukrainian social, cultural and implementation of targeted actions of certain educational environments of Ukrainian Turks in structures responsible for its implementation in a the context of pan-European ethno-integrative set of coordinated activities is relevant. Such processes. These statements also actualize the actions will help to lay the foundation for the problem of studying the factors of full-fledged future conscious ethnocultural mutual adaptation of Turkish-Meskhetian youth in the understanding of today’s youth of different Ukrainian community. This approach is ethnic groups for many years. The most rational especially important in our study, because today use of the potential of immigrants is in the the Meskhetian Turks are the people dispersed interests of further development of the Ukrainian among other ethnic groups, which causes state. This is necessary both for the full existence significant influences of other cultures on of the ethnic group and its harmonious socialization processes in their ethnic interaction with the host society. The objective environment. These processes intensify in an era process of formation of immigrant ethnic of globalization, when neighboring ethnic groups minorities in Ukraine requires attention not only change rapidly under the influence of various from special or local authorities and law and civilization factors (Gomaniuk, 2007). order, but also from society as a whole. The society should be prepared for the acceptance and Although in economic and socio-political life the perception of representatives of ethnic groups not social adaptation of Meskhetian Turks tends to typical for Ukraine (Leonova, 2005). That is why integrate (Gomaniuk, 2007), there are traditional European integration policy and Ukraine’s for Muslim culture elements of isolation (marital involvement in European migration processes in and family relations, religious life) and the period of their significant intensification avoidance of any assimilation in the gender raises the problem of full integration of migrants aspect of relations within the Meskhetian and intercultural interethnic interaction between community (Arbienina, 2007). Historical, the local population and ethnic groups whose economic, political, demographic, religious, as ethnocultural characteristics are quite different well as environmental and technogenic factors and unusual. And this demonstrates the can act as factors in changing the behavior of an appropriateness of applying the concept of ethnic group. Such problems include the interculturalism, which is to find forms, means activities of the state and its migration policy, the and mechanisms to support cultural differences activities of public resettlement organizations, in the process of interaction «within the employment opportunities, issues related to framework of fundamental democratic values

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and international human rights treaties» (Serkan, process. The school is able to provide non- (S), 2014). conformist adaptation strategies, eliminate the initial discomfort of forced stay in a new social Conclusions environment, allow conscious and systematic development of its traditions, new values and Ukraine’s involvement in global migration behaviors, which is important for self- processes in the period of their significant development and personal growth. intensification creates preconditions for the further formation of new «immigration» Such steps, as well as the introduction of minorities, and thus raises the problem of compulsory study of the latest (often tragic) integration of migrants and interethnic pages of the history of a certain people in the interaction between local people and immigrants, curricula of regional pedagogical educational whose ethnocultural characteristics are quite institutions, will not only attract the attention of different and unusual. the host, but also prevent self-isolation and exclusion from Ukrainian social processes of An example of such interaction is the residence ethnoculturally conscious youth of national of Meskhetian Turks in Ukraine. The analysis of minorities, which does not meet the interests of their economic activity, sources of income, level the minority or Ukrainian society. of well-being, access to education, etc. allows to identify the ways and opportunities for functional Bibliographic references integration of migrants into Ukrainian society, as well as obstacles and difficulties in this process. Aktepe, E., Tekdere, M., & Shukhan, A. (2017). The study of social ties within the Turkish An Evaluation on Meskhetian Turks Placed in community and relations with the local Erzincan in the Context of Social Cohesion and population provides an opportunity to consider Integration. Journal of Migration Studies. the transformation of the ethnic identity of Vol 3(2). migrants under the influence of living in a non- Arbienina, V. (2007). Ethnosociology. Kh.: V. N. national environment, as well as the process of Karazin Kharkiv National University. interaction of very different cultures. Blynova, O. (2011). Factors in determining the adaptation strategies of Ukrainian labor migrants One of the most effective measures would be to in the country of employment. Problems of open the specialized cultural and adaptive political psychology and its role in the formation training courses for migrant ethnic groups in of the Ukrainian state citizen: Collection of regional educational institutions of different Sciences. Papers. Institute of Social and Political levels. The external factors of adaptation include Psychology. Moscow. Millennium. Issued 11. tolerance from the entourage in the new Danilov, S. (2015). Muslim Communities of environment, active promotion of destructive Ukraine under the Occupation of Crimea and ethnic stereotypes. The last ones contribute to the Certain Regions of Donetsk and Luhansk formation of the image of the ethnic «we», Regions. Strategies of Transformation and influence ethnic likes and dislikes, determining Prevention of Border Conflicts in Ukraine. Lviv: future behavior in the ethno-contact Galicia Publishing Union. environment. Danilov, S. (2020). Muslim Communities of Kherson in the Context of Regional Socio- Only such approach in the long run will ensure Political Dynamics and Security Challenges. the education of tolerance, openness, positive Eastern World, No. 4 Recovered from URL: attitude to ethnic and cultural diversity not as a https://oriental- threat to an established way of life, but as an world.org.ua/sites/default/files/Archive/2020/4/ opportunity to enrich and diversify it. Only in this 6.pdfс way, the emigrants of the last wave, including Gomaniuk, M. (2007). Social adaptation and Meskhetian Turks, will be able to become full integration of Meskhetian Turks in Ukrainian citizens of Ukrainian society without losing their society. (Extended abstract of candidate’s thesis). ethnocultural identity, enriching and multiplying Kharkov University, Kharkov. the traditions of good neighborly relations Gomaniuk, M. (2020). Modernization of the between different ethnic cultures of Zaporizhzhia social life of Akhiska Turks in Ukraine. Skhidnyi Azov region (Pryazovia). svit, 2. Recovered from URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/34265 One of the stages of implementation of such a 2864_The_Modernization_of_Social_Life_of_ program can be adaptation in the learning Meskhetian_Turks_in_Ukraine

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