Alevi Aktivistler

Uluğ, Ö. M., & Acar, Y. (2015). We are more than alliances between groups': A social psychological perspective on the Gezi Park protesters and negotiating levels of identity. In Everywhere Taksim: sowing the seeds for a new Turkey at Gezi. Amsterdam University Press.

Alevi Activists (Ankara and Hatay): Alevi participants noted specific

reasons for their participation in the protests, referring to ethnic and

religious discrimination as well as regional issues (especially in Hatay).

Participants discussed perceptions of assimilationist policies on the

part of the government towards Alevis. Participants also noted the role

of the AKP in the conflict in Syria, believing the AKP to be working in

conjunction with Al-Qaeda and Al Nusra and using Hatay as a logistics

centre.

Especially for the participant living in Hatay, Alevi identity was very

salient both as a religious and as a cultural identity. On the other

hand, the participant from Tuzluçayır said that his socialist identity

was more important than his Alevi identity. Both felt close to Çarşı,

a group of supporters of the Beşiktaş football club, and members of

the People’s House (Halkevleri). They did not feel close to the İP, TGB

and some leftist parties who they felt discredited the Gezi movement (126-127)