Living close to the seaside where there are no winters: Acculturation process of Russians residing in Antalya as exemplified in their neighboring relationships

Russian migration to Turkey, which started with the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), continues to increase in Antalya. This situation has been the subject of research by different disciplines in different aspects. To contribute to the literature, this thesis examines the neighborhood relations of Russians residing permanently in Antalya from a sociological perspective, especially in the context of acculturation. In this ethnography, the cultural change and transformation that emerged with the neighborhood relations of Russians and Turks were recorded by conducting in-depth interviews with sixteen participants. In addition to the data obtained from the interviews, observations made by participating in the daily lives of Russians and field notes were utilized. To record the dimensions of acculturation in detail, the socioeconomic and sociocultural activities of the participants were also examined, and the findings showed that the Russian population, which is actively involved in the social fabric of Antalya, is influenced by the Turkish neighborly culture. The findings also indicated that the importance given to neighborliness in the Russian society differs from the Turkish society and that neighborly relations in the Turkish society tend to dissolve compared to the past periods.