This article analyzes the historical and contemporary problems of the Alevi Shiites, one of the largest religious minorities in Turkey. It considers the main stages of the development of Alevism as a special movement in Islam, its doctrinal features and cultural heritage. Particular attention is paid to the relationship of the Alevis with state institutions of power in different periods of the history of the Ottoman Empire and the modern Turkish Republic. The forms of religious and ethnic discrimination against the Alevis are described, ranging from persecution during the Ottoman period to modern manifestations of the marginalization of this community. The role of the Alevi movement in the political life of the country is analyzed, including their participation in the left-wing radical movement of the second half of the 20 th century and the modern struggle for the recognition of Alevism as an independent religious movement. The article also highlights the efforts of the Alevi communities to preserve their religious identity in the context of the increasing Islamization of Turkish society under the leadership of the ruling Justice and Development Party. The prospects for resolving the “Alevi issue” in the context of the socio-political development of Turkey are considered.
Turkey, Alevis, Shiites, Bektashi, religious groups, ethno-confessional minorities