Negotiations of Identity Among Alevi Immigrants in the Post-9/11 Context: Transnational Perspectives


Senem Karaceper, York University

Rather than being fixed in time and space, identity is fluid and ever-changing, connecting historical experiences with present-day socio-political circumstances. However, in a world deeply entwined with societal issues such as racism, xenophobia, or Islamophobia – exacerbated particularly in a post-September 11th world towards minoritized communities from West Asia – there is an urgent need to cultivate a profound understanding of identity. Therefore, I am applying the concept of identity to Alevi immigrants from Turkey in various Western receiving nations such as Germany, England, and Canada. Alevism is a religious and cultural subset of Islam practiced by ethnic Turkish and Kurdish Alevi populations. This research employs theories of transnationalism and a framework of cultural identity as expressed by Stuart Hall to answer the following research question: How are Alevi immigrants negotiating their ethno-religious cultural identity in transnational communities? I explore the experiences of being a minority within a minority, historical experiences in the Ottoman Empire, and the Turkish Republic and identity formation in such transnational communities. This research also uncovers the ways in which Alevi communities associate, disassociate or reject characteristics typically associated with members of the Turkish and, more broadly, Muslim diasporas. This study aims to contribute to a nuanced understanding of identity negotiation in the post-9/11 era by situating Alevi immigrants in their rightful socio-political context.

This paper will be presented at the following session: