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The Arab 'Alawis constitute a sizable minority in contemporary Turkey. Yet their history and relationship with the evolving Turkish state has been hitherto under-studied.
This book charts the history, identity-formation and politics of the Arab 'Alawis of Turkey. It examines the attitudes to the 'Alawis in the early years of the Turkish Republic and the one party era, wherein, as with other religious and ethnic minorities, 'Turkification' policies led to the suppression of 'Alawi identity. It also explores the multi-party period when 'Sunnification' policies lead to further suppression, culminating in further assimilationist policies under the junta of the 1980s. Throughout, the author draws on fieldwork surveys and research in the Turkish state archives to offer various perspectives on the relationship between the 'Alawis and the state, and the evolution of 'Alawi political identity this gave rise to.
Produced in association with the British Institute at Ankara
List of contents
Introduction
1. Arab 'Alawis: From Emergence to the Tanzimat
2. Reform and the End of the Empire
- The Ottoman Reform Process
- Arab ‘Alawis under the Ottoman Administration
- Dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and Arab ‘Alawis
3. The Republican Period
- Arab ‘Alawis in the National Struggle and Establishment of the Turkish Republic
- The Single Party Period and Policies towards Arab ‘Alawis
- Multi-Party Life and Transformation of Political Relations of Arab ‘Alawis
- From 27 May to 12 September: The Transformation of the State Between Two Military Coups and Arab ‘Alawis4. Post 1980: Identity and the Modern Turkish State
- The Problem of Naming
- Core Elements of Arab ‘Alawis Identity
- Identity Problems of Arab ‘Alawis
Conclusion
About the author
Hakan Mertcan is Visiting Scholar at Bucerius Law School, Germany. He was previously Assistant Professor at Mersin University, Turkey.
Summary
The Arab 'Alawis constitute a sizable minority in contemporary Turkey. Yet their history and relationship with the evolving Turkish state has been hitherto under-studied.
This book charts the history, identity-formation and politics of the Arab 'Alawis of Turkey. It examines the attitudes to the 'Alawis in the early years of the Turkish Republic and the one party era, wherein, as with other religious and ethnic minorities, 'Turkification' policies led to the suppression of 'Alawi identity. It also explores the multi-party period when 'Sunnification' policies lead to further suppression, culminating in further assimilationist policies under the junta of the 1980s. Throughout, the author draws on fieldwork surveys and research in the Turkish state archives to offer various perspectives on the relationship between the 'Alawis and the state, and the evolution of 'Alawi political identity this gave rise to.
Produced in association with the British Institute at Ankara
Foreword
An interdisciplinary account of the Arab 'Alawis role in Turkish politics and society, from the early Republican period to the present day
