7 Dissimilation and Assimilation

Scholarly literature generally portrays dissimilation and assimilation as antithetical conditions for minority groups. This chapter focuses on Alevi Bulgarian Turks' strategic assimilations and dissimilations in Bulgaria and Turkey. Strategic dissimilation is more visible on the collective level while strategic assimilation can be identified mainly on the level of individuals. The chapter examines the narratives and practices that Alevi Bulgarian Turks use publicly as dissimilation and then those which appear to be examples of assimilation. It focuses on how Alevi Bulgarian Turks publicly separate themselves from other groups, on linguistic, physical, social-organizational and religious levels. Strategic assimilation by Alevi Bulgarian Turks may take two forms. The first one is Sunnification, or bigoted. The second is rootlessness, neither Alevi nor Sunni ways, simply becoming a-religious.Keywords: Alevi Bulgarian Turks; strategic assimilation; strategic dissimilation; Sunnification