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Publisher: Balkan Studies Foundation

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An Investigation Into How Contact and Turkish Tv Series Shape Serbs’ Attitudes Toward Turks

Fatih Çarkçı MSc, Middle East Technical University Author 0009-0002-4236-9415

DOI:

10.51331/A042

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the attitudes of individuals living in Serbia toward Turks by looking at how contact with Turkish individuals and watching Turkish TV series have affected Serbian individuals’ stereotyping. Furthermore, the study examines Serbians’ tendency to donate 2,000 Serbian Dinars in an imaginary scenario. The sample consists of 492 adults living in Serbia, and the findings show watching Turkish TV series to be related to more positive feelings toward Turks, higher levels of feeling pleasant about contact, and willingness to have a Turkish friend, colleague, and neighbor. Moreover, having contact with Turks and the frequency of contact are related to having more positive feelings toward Turks. Surprisingly, the Serbs who are more populous and have more frequent contact with Turks were found to feel less pleasant and respected and more nervous and looked down upon. In general, while watching Turkish TV series might have positive associations with Serbs’ positive feelings toward Turks, their contact with Turks seems to relate to more ambivalent feelings. Moreover, when participants were asked to donate money between Bosnians and Turks, most participants divided the money equally while donating the most money to their in-group when it was added. The study also discusses the findings and their implications.

Keywords:

Serbs, Turks, Contact Hypothesis, Stereotypes, TV Series

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