The Socio-Cultural Structure of Ankara in the 1950s: Observations by Two American Women

Abstract

The Americans who came to Turkey, particularly during the 1950, as part of efforts to develop Turkish-American relations during the Cold War period, led to an increase in mutual cultural exchange and understanding between the two countries. One of these Americans was Elizabeth McNeill Leicester, who wrote a book entitled ‘Memories of 1950 in Ankara, Turkey' during the time she spent in Ankara on an official mission during this period when the cultural influence of America was felt most keenly. Another example of written memoirs is ‘Assignment in Ankara', which was written by Lucile Saunders McDonald and Zola Helen Ross. These books, which represent the written observations of the two women, contain profound insights into the social and cultural life of Ankara in the 1950s, and thus represent important first-hand historical sources. This study uses the books of Elizabeth McNeill Leicester and Lucile Saunders McDonald to help reveal the socio-cultural structure of Ankara in the 1950s while analyzing the authors' perspectives on Turkish women in Ankara and discussing the activities of Americans in Turkey. The insights provided in the books demonstrate that traditional structures were strongly maintained in Ankara, especially for women, despite the modernization of the 1950s.

Keywords

• elizabeth mcneill leicester
• lucile saunders mcdonald
• american women
• turkish women
• socio-cultural exchange
• cultural diplomacy
• turkish-american relationships
• ankara