This volume investigates the multifaceted construction of Alevi identity within the shifting landscapes of modern Turkey and its diaspora. The editors, Catharina Raudvere, Elisabeth Ozdalga, and Tord Olsson, compile research from various scholars to examine how Alevism navigates the intersection of religious tradition, social marginalization, and political expression. By analyzing historical narratives and contemporary social practices, the text argues that Alevi identity is not a static monolith but a dynamic process of negotiation between internal communal values and external state pressures.

Scholars and researchers frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of Alevi identity in contemporary sociology. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of the subject matter for students and specialists in Middle Eastern studies.