Acknowledgements

This book would not have been possible without the contribution and support of many people.

First of all, I would like to thank all the participants in this research, the workers and volunteers at Yol TV, TV10 and Can TV who generously shared their stories, perspectives and experiences with me. Experiences of discrimination and violence are intimate, and thus not very easy to share. I am grateful for their trust and openness.

My access and presence in Alevi circles have been facilitated by various activists, such as İsrafil Erbil (British Alevi Federation), Nadide Köroğlu (British Alevi Federation), Zeynep Demir (British Alevi Federation), Mahmut Akgül (Yol TV) and Şükrü Yıldız (TV10/Can TV), and the Alevi organisations of the European Alevi Unions Confederation and the British Alevi Federation. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for their ongoing support over the years.

My sincere thanks to Suay Abak, Veli Haydar Güleç and Pirha News Agency, which kindly allowed me to use the photograph from the protest of TV10’s closure on the cover of this book.

This project was awarded a Newton International Fellowship (2016) by the British Academy. The scholarship marked a turning point in my academic journey. I hope this book can inspire new academics to apply for fellowship programmes offered by the Academy. I would like to thank Suavi Aydın and Simten Coşar, my colleagues at Hacettepe University, Gholam Khiabani and Dina Matar for their support in my application for the Newton International Fellowship.

The project was hosted by the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The department was a very rich learning hub and sharpened my critical perspective a great deal. My mentor, Myria Georgiou, was always there for me throughout the project. I am grateful for her supportive guidance, intellectual rigour and critical eye. It has been a privilege to work with her.

The book was mainly written during my sabbatical leave from the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. I am truly grateful to Pratap Rughani, Rebecca Bramall, Steve Cross and Zoetanya Sujon for supporting my application for the sabbatical. My colleagues at the London College of Communication, Chiara Minestrelli, Sara Marino, Thomas Giakoglou and Zoetanya Sujon, made sure that I was able to focus on the book during my leave. Many thanks to the students of the BA in Contemporary Media Cultures, BA in Media Communications and MA in Media, Communications and Critical Practice (2019–22) for being wonderful learning companions and sharing their views about my research.

Many thanks to Cengiz Güneş, Kaya Akyıldız and Khanna Omarkhali, who kindly shared their publications with me.

I am very grateful to the anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments.

My friend Derrick Wright has proofread the book and made very useful suggestions. He is both a special friend and an amazing person to work with.

I would like to thank Göze (Orhon) for her invaluable support and friendship. Our chats have been thought-provoking and have motivated me more than she is probably aware. Yalçın (Armağan) has been the most generous and open friend I have ever had and a role model for intellectual passion. Special thanks are extended to my friends Berrin (Yaşot), Celia (Jenkins), Chiara (Minestrelli), Derrick (Wright), Ece (Kocabıçak), Esra (Emin), Joep (Meijers), Kate (McNicholas Smith), Maitrayee (Basu), Sara (Marino) and Sevgi (Adak) for sharing the joy and the struggles of life with me. You make me feel that I never walk alone.

I would like to thank my parents, my aunt, Can, and my extended family, who believed in me and supported the choices I have made in my life. I am blessed to have their love, compassion, support and kindness.

Ümit has always been present with his love, care, encouragement and comradeship. His research and our chats on Alevism have been deeply inspiring. My ideas on decoloniality in particular have been shaped by my ongoing conversations with him. Thank you, Ümit, for being an amazing partner and an admirable intellectual companion.

Thank you, Robin, for being the joy of my life. Hope you can find something in this book about your own questions of identity that will come as a child of a migrant Alevi family.

As much as I truly enjoyed writing this book, feelings of loss and mourning have been part of my writing routine. Over the course of writing this book I have lost many family members: Süleyman (Çelik), Hicran (Çimen Özdemir), Haluk (Emre), Abidin (Emre), Alaaddin (Güneş), Kumru (Emre), Atilla (Güneş), Hasan (Güneş) and Nurinisa (Emre). I am sure they would all have been proud of me. This work is dedicated to their loving memory.