The role of power-differences and identification in the relationship between contact and solidarity-based collective action

One of the primary aims of the present study is to examine the mediating role of communication about sectarian power differences in the association between Sunnis’ social contact with Alevis and their willingness to engage in collective action in support of Alevi rights. A second aim is to investigate whether the direct and indirect effects of intergroup contact on willingness to engage in collective action vary as a function of participants’ level of identification with the Sunni ingroup. Survey data collected from 332 Sunni participants in Türkiye were analysed using a moderated mediation model. The findings indicate that higher-quality contact with Alevis is associated with more frequent discussions of power inequalities between Alevi and Sunni sects during interaction, which in turn predicts stronger willingness among Sunnis to engage in collective action on behalf of Alevi rights. Moreover, the results show that identification with the Sunni ingroup moderates the association between power-focused communication and collective action, such that this positive relationship weakens and becomes non-significant at higher levels of ingroup identification. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that communication about power inequalities plays a critical role in transforming intergroup contact into collective action, while strong identification with the Sunni ingroup systematically constrains both the direct and indirect effects of contact on collective action intentions.