ZENGİN, Erkan Hacettepe Üniversitesi - Edebiyat Fakültesi - Alman Dili ve Edebiyatı, Türkiye

A STUDY ON THE RESEARCH ABOUT ALEVIS AND SUNNIS IN GERMANY

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This study handles the researches that have been conducted on Turkish Muslims who have immigrated to Germany and settled there. The differences between the religious sects of Alevis and Sunnis who settled in Germany with the first wave of worker-immigrants in 1960 were not recognized until the year 2000. The major reason for this is that the issue had not been dealt with until that year. However, the studies which accelerated after 2000 have not only revealed the life styles of the Muslims, but they also contributed to understanding of the differences between the religious sects in Islam within Turkish society in Germany. The initiatives by the Alevi social clubs have also contributed to intercultural communication. The most significant outcome of these initiatives is that the German government has accepted to include Alevi courses into the curriculum of the primary education. By focusing on the studies, the first one being “Religionsmonitor 2008 Muslimische Religiosität in Deutschland” (“Looking into Religion in 2008, and the Religious Structure in Germany”) which is conducted through questionnaires and their evaluation, and the second one being “Muslime Leben in Deutschland” (“The Muslims Live in Germany”), this article aims at foregrounding the life styles of Alevi population in Germany. The reason for handling Sunnis as well as Alevis here is to be able look at the differences and resemblances between the two sects and compare them.

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Alevî , Sunnî , demography , belief , degree of belief , tendencies of integration

Turkish Culture and Haci Bektash Veli Research Quarterly

72