Discrimination against teenagers in the mall environment: a case from Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Teenagers spend much of their leisure time at shopping malls which is a result of factors such as parental constraint due to the incivility of the streets, financial dependence, and limited financial resources. Migros, a shopping mall in Ankara was chosen as the sit for this research wiht the main purpose of studying discrimination patterns against teenagers in the mall environment. The research was carried out through observation and in-depth interviews with 104 teenagers. Results indicate that, although they have some complaints, most of the teenagers do not perceive discrimination in the mall, unlike their foreign counterparts.