Industrialization and Patterns of Socio-Cultural Change in the Rural Structure

Since the 1980s, with the development of industrial cities in Anatolia, rapid and profound socio-cultural changes have been observed not only in urban areas but also in rural settlements. The purpose of this article is to analyze patterns of socio-cultural change in a village located at the periphery of Gaziantep and directly influenced by industrialization. The research examines the changing employment patterns, household structure, settlement types, consumption patterns and individivals' perceptions and attitudes toward gender equality and the role of religion in social life. What makes this village a unique case is that it has been experiencing the effects of industrialization without any dislocation (out-migration) and without any increase and differentiation in its population (in-migration). In other words, the village has been subjected to a rapid transformation in its social structure and culture through industrialization and proximity to the city but no significant changes in its community structure.