Gulsenism in Usûlî Diwan in the frame of social identity theory

Social identity theory was developed by Henry Tajfel and John Turner after 1970's. Henri Tajfel who stayed at prison camps in France and Germany for years maintained his studies on vital sample groups demonstrating the difference in religion, language, race and gender using his experiences he acquired at prison camps with John Turner. The purpose of Social Identity Theory is to discover the changes seen at the emotions, ideas, perceptions and attitudes of an individual who transitions from individual identity to social identity. The theory was studied by researchers under separate headings, such as social identity, social comparison, social classification, and social structure. Social Identity Theory shapes the frame of the study with these aspects. It is seen that some of Classical Turkish literature poets have a sufî identity, one of which is Usûli. Usûlî, among the 16th century poets, was born in Giannitsa. The sufî atmosphere in Giannitsa had a great role in shaping the character of Usûlî. The poet went to Egypt after a while and affiliated with Ibrahim Gülşenî and served under his sheikh. After his sheikh passing away, he returned to his hometown and spent the rest of his life spreading Gulsenism in the region where he lived. Gulsenism generating the social identity of Usûlî was also reflected in his poems. In the poems included in his diwan, the traces of Gulsenism were found and these traces were attempted to be explained in detail. The poet's elegy that he wrote upon Ibrahim Gülşeni's death especially attracts attention. The aim of this work is to explore the reflection of Gulsenism in Usûlî Diwan in the frame of Social Identity Theory. The work is significant in the aspects of enlightening Usûlî's Gülşenî identity and examining Gulsenism factors in the whole diwan. In conclusion, a number of factors about Gulsenism and specifically about Ibrahim Gülşenî was identified in diwan. Qualitative research method was complied with throughout the process of the work.