Divorce Experience in Tribal Structures: the Case of Van Province

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the sociological aspects of divorce cases that take place among tribal members in Van - a province adapting to individualist modern age albeit its long-established tribal social setting. The individualism discourse along with the spread of mass communication has brought a distancing from the tradition and, thus, hit hard the family institution characterized by patriarchal tribal structures in the province. To investigate sociological effects of divorce in Van, five male and female divorced tribe members and five divorce lawyers have been qualitatively interviewed. A large data set of divorce statistics for the 2001-2016 period provided by TUIK (Turkish Statistical Institute) is also consulted for quantitative insights. Based on the qualitative and quantitative data, it is found that the divorce has started to be seen by the tribe members in Van as a normal practice in life, although it has long been regarded as a taboo before. The dominant causes of divorce in Van are found to be the sociological texture of the city, the marriage style, the role of families, domestic violence and cheating on spouse.