Abstract
SUMMARY The Alawiism is a faith system, which is historically alienated from the city culture and which has a completely rural origin. This faith system has developed a specific for it socio-cultural structure. It has been organized in accordance with its social life, traditions, methods, seniority principles and sanctions. The institutions as musahiplik (gentleman-in-waiting), düşkünlük (excommunicated member), dedelik (sheikh) etc. are fundamental religio-social establishments which are allowing the individual with the possibility of assistance, social control and auditing in his social life. Due to the fact that the Alawi groups have been isolated from the point of view of the faith, they have become closed societies, in which the solidarity is very powerful. The slower than in the other places development of the social and cultural varieties has assured during the centuries the conservation of the same social body and the continuation of a considerably stable society. Nevertheless it is observed that during the last years these societies have undergone a surprising change and that its faith and institutions are shaken. This development is visible in the villages, which have more contacts with the cities, which has a lot of highly educated people and which are overwhelmed by the influence of the ideologies. In these villages and in the societies of Alawi people, emigrated to the cities, the authority of the dede has lost its earlier power and the semi-religious ranks, institutions and ceremonies, which are based on the traditions, has begun to fall down. In our study we have tried to determine the changes, which the practice and social institutions, related with the Alawi-Bektashi faith system have undergone. The frequency of realization of the Cem ceremonies are closely related with the hardening of the faith and assuring of the society order. On the other hand the urbanization and the facts of urbanization limit the realization of the 83Cem ceremonies. Due to the fact that the society positions as gentleman-in- waiting and excommunicated member are gaining their legality only in the Cem ceremonies, they are affected in the same degree from the urbanization. The Pact that social institutions has been eruded by the modernity, is a serious problem in the Alawi Society. 84
