This research aims to investigate the ways in which Alevi groups have socially transformed where they settled in Sarız, Kayseri. Even though there are various studies as regards the Alevism and heterodoxy in Anatolia, none exist about the groups in Sarız. Especially Factualist Alevis, a recently emerged religious sect in the region, encouraged me to make this investigation.
Due to lack of written sources, I have made face to face interviews with the inhabitants, especially with the old and illiterate members of the society. Within the scope of this research, I aimed to understand what separates Factualist Alevism from Shiism, especially in the sections dedicated to the historical background. Furthermore, I also aimed to understand new approaches brought by Factualists to traditional Alevism. For instance, Factualists deny the traditional Alevi institutions such as Dedelik and believe that the true fact is derived from the creator. These newly emerged interpretations encouraged Alevis in the region to abandon many rituals of the belief system but embracing the latter as a lifestyle. |