Thoughts on the rhetoric that women and men are equal in Alevi belief and practice (Alevilik) – to Songül

Abstract

ABSTRACTA modernization project was started by the founding cadres of the Republic in Turkey during the nation-state building process. In the early years, policies towards creating a laic state and secular society became manifest in relation to women’s bodies which gained a symbolic meaning, and as an aspect of the modernization process, a significant component of the national identity. The Republic argued that equality between women and men was an indispensable part of social and political life. But Alevis, in fact, claimed that equality between woman and man had long been among the main principles of Alevism for centuries. However, the attitude towards equality formed a common ground between the fundamentals of the Republic and Alevi belief and emerged as an important element in strengthening Alevi loyalty to the Republic. This rhetoric of equality is examined in terms of the religious beliefs and practices of Alevis based on research into a local Alevi group, the Anşabacılıs. The claim of equality is found to be more to do with marking the boundaries of Alevi identity than putting equality into practice.