Sociological dimensions of the tendency to not marry: the case of Manisa

Marriage is a social institution that legally unites two individuals and involves combining their lives emotionally, sexually, economically, and within legally recognized boundaries accepted by society. In contrast, choosing not to marry or the tendency to avoid marriage refers to the absence of these actions and attitudes associated with marriage. In today's modern societies, the concept of marriage represents the organized form of the family institution. Due to the important functions it fulfills, the family—being one of the central elements of the social structure and system—plays a key role in uniting individuals and raising new, socialized members for society. However, despite this, attitudes towards marriage and forming a family have shifted in a negative direction. Indeed, when examining TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) data, it is evident that the average age of first marriage has increased, marriage rates have declined, divorce rates have risen, and the average number of children per household has decreased. This phenomenon, which can also be confirmed through social observation, highlights the increasing likelihood of encountering individuals who, despite having passed the average age of marriage, show no inclination to marry. Therefore, it is possible to speak of a tendency not to marry as a sociological issue within society. This trend may be attributed to changes in the structure and functions of the family or to evolving expectations and attitudes of individuals toward marriage. This change, developing in a negative direction, has often led people to either avoid marriage or find themselves unable to marry. Consequently, this indicates that the institution of family is facing a social problem. In this context, this study aims to reveal the sociological dimensions of the tendency not to marry among individuals aged 40 and over in Turkey, using Manisa as a case study. The study seeks to examine the reasons why unmarried individuals aged 40 and above remain single in relation to economic factors, marital expectations, and whether the values they associate with the institution of marriage differ from the average societal values. In doing so, the study aims to identify the economic, social, personal, and socio-psychological reasons that contribute to the increasing tendency not to marry. In this study, a qualitative research method was employed, and data were collected using a semi-structured in-depth interview form. Interviews were conducted with 17 participants, including 7 men and 10 women. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using the descriptive analysis technique. From the analysis of the research data, it was found that most participants did not actively choose to remain unmarried. Instead, they were exposed to the condition of remaining single due to certain social and societal influences, various socioeconomic reasons, physical or mental health issues, and other individual factors. It was also observed that, in general, marriage and family values are still preserved among the participants. However, the findings also indicate that attitudes toward marriage values vary depending on whether or not individuals wish to have children. This thesis consists of three chapters. The first chapter includes the conceptual framework and theoretical foundations related to the institution of marriage and family. The second chapter presents a summary of the literature. In the third chapter, information about the research methodology is provided first, followed by the analysis of the data obtained from the participants and the main findings reached through this analysis. This chapter concludes with a discussion, in which the main findings of the study are compared with those of other research, and a conclusion section summarizing the overall results. Key words: Family, marriage, not getting married, tendency to not marry, age of marriage