Günümüz Türkiye Alevîliğinin Sosyolojik Tezahürleri ve Problemleri Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme (original) (raw)

Social Consolidations in Turkey and Alawites

2014

All societies have different religious groups. Some of them have a long historical process, some of them do not. From time to time these differences can be understood and promoted as a reason to divide societies or countries. On the other hand, these differences can be accepted as richness. For some, these diversities are an important part of multiculturalism or multi-religious societies. The Turkish Alawite Community faces concerns which require sustainable strategies for social integration. In this paper, both Sunnite and Alawite views will be evaluated to understand the real socio-religious position of the Alawite people in Turkey. The importance of interfaith dialogue will be put forward in terms of social reconciliation. The functions of religious residences, unions, governmental centers will be analyzed as well. The significance of nongovernmental organizations will also be touched upon. The components of the need for real integration such as belief, culture, custom, literature, and method of prayer will be analyzed in detail.

Alevis vs. Alawites in Turkey: from the General to the Specific

2019

In view of its geographical location and the ethnic, religious and cultural heterogeneity of its population, modern Turkey is of special interest both to orientalists and to a wide range of people interested in global political and social affairs. In this context, the subject of Turkish Alevism and Turkish Alevis has acquired particular relevance in recent years. However, Turkey’s Alevis are often confused with the ‘Alawites (Nusayris) of Syria, leading to a gross distortion of the concept of Turkish Alevism. The ‘Alawites (Nusayris) are concentrated mainly in Syria, where they constitute around 12% of the country’s population, though there is a small community of approximately 350,000 people in Turkey. They live predominantly in the southern provinces of Hatay, Adana and Mersin, and are ethnic Arabs. This paper is based on the findings of field studies carried out in the town of Hacibektas and in Hatay province, and aims to highlight the regional aspects of the Alevi and ‘Alawite (...

IJSSER An anthropological analysis popular belief on Kurdish Alevis in Turkey

Based on the Ocak (Religious oriented household), Alevi people has practiced various form of saint venerations and religious rituals in Varto sub-province in Eastern Anatolia for a long time. These saint veneration and religious rituals have a function which structures the relationship between Alevis themselves and strengthens their awareness of Alevi identity. These religious practices are divided into two categories. First one is rituals practiced by villagers and organized by Seyit (religious authority of Alevis who is descended from the Prophet's family) and his Rehber (religious guide who is appointed by Seyit) like weddings, funerals, circumcision, Nevruz (spring festival) and Cem rituals (the most important Alevi religious practice). The former is well known in the media broadcasted and published by Alevi cultural associations based on the big cities. Even non-Alevi outsiders can participate in these religious rituals. Concerning these religious practices, we can access to a lot of previous studies. However, the latter is completely kept secret for outsiders. People practice these rituals and religious practices only within their village communities. They are different from the former practices which are practiced as a popular belief. Even villagers cannot participate in these religious practices in some case. In other word, if he or she is not a member of Ocak as a ritual group, he or she cannot participate in these rituals. At the same time, if Seyit who is descended from the Prophet family does not organize the ritual, participants cannot have Keramet (miracles). In this paper, I introduce the case of saint veneration as a popular belief in the village communities in Varto sub-province. Then I analyze the current social situation around Alevism in Kurdish community from the view point of Cultural Anthropology.

UNDERSTANDING A DISPLACED COMMUNITY AND ITS ENTANGLED IDENTITY:RELIGIOUS RITUALS OF ALEVIS IN ISTANBUL Yerinden Edilmiş Bir Topluluk ve Dolaşık Kimlik:İstanbul’da Alevilerin Dini Ritüelleri Eine vertriebene Gemeinschaft und eine verworrene Identität: Die religiösen Rituale der Aleviten in Istanbul

Dr., Toronto-Kanada (437 987 7246). seyhankayhan@gmail.com. This paper's main goal is to examine the nature of a religious belief and its entangled identity in an urban context from an anthropological perspective. My work's current focus is that the ritual practices of urban immigrants are displayed in the public space, unlike the social structure and guidance provided by a local religious expert known as a dede. Since the 1950s mass migration of Alevis from rural regions to the Turkish metropolises, such as Istanbul, the Alevi identity has been transformed into a labyrinth of socio-political obstacles and has been losing its place due to the pressures of both the state power and the Sunni and Alevi institutions. They have been losing the space that their belief attached, the clan-related (ocak) community network system, the reliance on rural divine leaders, their spiritual moods and motivations, the unique means of resolving community conflicts. The paper includes a standardized ritual and music repertoire, the revision of folklorized sacred dance (semah) elements, and a critical analysis of what can be seen as the theatrical aspects of urban cem. The second part of this paper is to understand Forschungszeitschrift über das Alevitentum und das Bektaschitentum / 2020 / 21 Seyhan Kayhan-KILIÇ other reasons why Alevi identity has become entangled. Certain writings about Alevis and using concepts about Alevism, such as heterodox and syncretic, ongoing hate speech and discrimination waged against them, Islamophobia seen worldwide, have played a role in the entangled identity of Alevis. We used the ethnography research method, which is mostly qualitative. It involves participatory observation of cem rituals in Istanbul, and obtaining information through informal and formal interview techniques used during observations.

Ahmet Kerim Gültekin: "Kurdish Alevism: Creating New Ways of Practicing the Religion" (#18)

Working Paper Series of the HCAS "Multiple Secularities - Beyond the West, Beyond Modernities", 2019

This paper will examine the transformation dynamics of social change in Kurdish Alevi communities, while mostly focusing on the increasing sociopolitical and religious role of talips. Until the end of the 20th century, the socio-religious structure of Kurdish Alevis was dominated by two hereditary social positions, much like a caste system: on the one hand, the members of the sacred lineages (ocaks), who embody the religious authority, and on the other hand, the talips who are subordinated to the sacred lineages. This socio-religious structure provided a framework for Kurdish Alevi socioreligious organisations.

The Alevis Struggle for Their Religious Rights in Türkiye

Minority Rights in the Centennial of the Republic, 2023

This paper focuses on the difficulties faced by Alevis in being recognized as a full-fledged religious minority in Turkey. Concerning the repercussions of such discrimination in their daily lives, I argue that the most pressing problem facing the Alevi is the non-designation of cem evi as places of worship. Concretely, it translates into the non-enjoyment of public funds devolved to supporting religious faiths recognised as such by the Turkish state. Alevis, therefore, must face the expenses associated with their religious activities alone and often the associations that sustain the cem evi find themselves dealing with economic difficulties. Through an analysis of the literature on the Alevi issue and attempting to increase the debate on their religious discrimination, I retrace the journey of the Alevis in their attempt to have the cem evi recognized as places of worship. I allege that their efforts culminated in the appeal to the ECHR and the Court's subsequent support of the Alevis’ requests. The implementation of such judgements is nonetheless still ignored by the Turkish government. In contrast to the standard literature, I argue that the lack of action in this regard is dictated by the latter’s lack of political will to recognise Alevis as a religious community outside the boundaries of Sunni Islam. Coming to terms with the singularities of their faith and managing their rights as a religious minority would indeed imply reconsidering the extent and application of the state's secularism, other than its attitude also to other religions in Turkey.