The third of the Focus Group Meetings organized by BEKAM was held at Bülbülzade Foundation. In the program attended by Psychological Counselor Specialist Ahmet Taşkesen, the effects of social changes on the family structure and young people's approach to the institution of marriage were discussed in all dimensions.

The Focus Group Meetings initiated by the Science Education Culture Research Center (BEKAM) to address social issues continue at full speed in 2026. This year’s meeting topics are largely shaped around the transformations experienced by the family institution, which is the fundamental building block of society, within the framework of digitalization, modernization, and changing socio-economic dynamics. In this context, a comprehensive session titled “Youth, Marriage, The New Generation’s Perspective on Family” was held on Thursday, May 21, 2026, in the Meeting Hall of Bülbülzade Foundation. During the meeting moderated by Mesut Aydağ, the emotional satisfaction young people seek in marriage, their social concerns, and their own analyses regarding family problems were conveyed to the participants in detail. The meeting aimed to shed light on the future of the family institution by bringing together field experts, stakeholders who would discuss the study topics, civil society volunteers, and young people around the same table.

In his opening speech, moderator Mesut Aydağ drew attention to the transformation process the family is going through. Emphasizing that technological developments directly affect human relations, Aydağ expressed the purpose of the meeting with the following words: “While we are in thousands of interactions on digital networks, we are becoming so distant that we cannot even talk to the person sitting next to us. While networks bring us closer, they also isolate us and distance us from one another.”

WE HAVE ALL BECOME INDIVIDUALIZED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

After the opening, Psychological Counselor Specialist Ahmet Taşkesen stated that the institution of family in Türkiye has been exposed to the effects brought by the modern age. Emphasizing the disruptions within the family institution, Taşkesen said, “In Türkiye, the institution of family is going through a process of silent yet deeply rooted structural change due to the effects brought by the modern age. This process is still continuing. We felt the need to organize these meetings in order to understand this change and protect the future of the family.” Pointing out that globalization isolates people, Taşkesen made the following assessment: “A transformation from ‘us’ to ‘me’ has taken place here. What we call individualization has emerged. Individualization and the transformation into the nuclear family are actually manifestations of this.”

FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, FAMILY IS BOTH A SAFE HARBOR AND A RISK

Referring to recent research covering all 81 provinces regarding young people’s perspective on the institution of family, Taşkesen presented striking statistics to the participants. Summarizing the paradox in young people’s minds in his own words, Taşkesen said: “The most remarkable finding of the research is this: Young people define the family as the sole psychological safe harbor with a one hundred percent rate. However, due to concerns about responsibility and economic uncertainties, they code marriage as a field of risk.” Explaining young people’s expectations, Taşkesen also stated: “Young people are distant from the institution of marriage because of the uncertainties, restrictions, and economic risks it contains. The institution of family still maintains a high value in the eyes of young people as a structure that eliminates loneliness and provides security.”

THE DILEMMA OF FREEDOM AND SECURITY

In the final part of the meeting, which progressed interactively in accordance with the focus group format, participants took the floor and shared their opinions under various topics. The transformation of traditional roles, the effects of economic conditions on marriage decisions, and the reflections of digital culture on individuals were discussed in detail. The dilemma between freedom and security was intensely debated during the meeting, which was enriched by the contributions of educators, parents, and young participants in the hall. Emphasizing the importance of value transmission within the family, it was stated that structural support mechanisms such as marriage schools should be expanded.