The discipline of Alevi Theological Studies at the Turkologentag 2023

05.10.2023

The discipline of Alevi Theological Studies was represented by Prof. Dr. Handan Aksünger-Kizil, Dr. Cem Kara and Dr. Deniz Cosan Eke at the 4th European Convention on Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish Studies (Turkologentag) from 21-23 September 2023 in University of Vienna.

The theme of the panel was "Religious Education and Transmission in History, Community and School". The contributions provided insights into the transformation of religious education in Alevism from an informal and oral tradition to a formal and institutionalized school curriculum.

The panel started with Cem Kara’s paper on historical concepts of religious education, mainly referring to the widely as constitutive considered Buyruk manuscripts. Handan Aksünger-Kızıl focused on different education formats, methods, topics, and used texts in Alevi communities, mainly in Cem-Houses in Germany and Austria. Deniz Cosan Eke shared her research on the subject of tolerance and religious diversity and how they are addressed in the lessons and syllabuses in Turkey and Germany.

In addition to the above-mentioned persons, Hasret Tiraz (M.A, Leipzig University) also involved in the panel with contribution on historical deyiş and nefes, that included the poetical application of social, religious, and spiritual instruction (irşad) of the adepts (talibs) in Alevism.