Turkish Immigrants' Perception of Integration in Russia: The Role of Religiosity

One important result is the fact that religiosity is not experienced as an hindrance for integration. As Alba and Foner (2008) say that religiosity can be a barrier or way of inclusion of immigrants into the host society. It seems that religiosity does not play a strong factor for Turkish immigrants, since immigrants experience Russia as a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional country and do not experience the need to alter their religious behaviours. Unlike the Turkish communities in other countries, as we discussed in the literature, religion is not a factor that prevents integration for Turkish immigrants as it can be perceived in Western Europe (a barrier to cultural integration). On the other hand, cultural integration is made easier for Turkish Muslims by the fact that Russia accommodates well Muslims. Turkish immigrants mention that Russians already knew the Muslims, historical bonds with Muslim ethnic groups in Russia and communism shaped their views for Muslim immigrants mostly positively. Another crucial result is that socio-economic integration does not need to result in cultural integration in the perception of immigrants, but language skills are essential. Cultural integration may be understood in different ways: integration or not into the Slavic culture (it can be the case for those married with Slav Russians, but in this case, they can also continue to be Muslims and do not become Orthodox) or integration in the sense of integration into a multi-ethnic, multi-confessional country that provides for religious freedom, tolerance etc. in a European sense (but is actually easier to integrate in than Western European countries). These are two ways in which cultural integration can be understood. Obviously the second way is perceived as successful, as most immigrants praise Russia for its tolerance. It is true that quite many are not ready to integrate in the sense of adopting the Russian Slav culture which is perceived as cold etc.