This study investigates the enduring impact of the 1980 Çorum Massacre on contemporary Alevi–Sunni relations, focusing on five mixed rural settlements, Eymir, Harmancık, Karaca, Emirbağı, and Fındık, where Mosques and Cemevis coexist. Drawing on 109 in-depth interviews and 14 months of participant observation conducted between 2013 and 2016, this study analyzes how historical trauma intersects with optimal intergroup contact conditions in everyday rural practice. The theoretical framework integrates Allport’s (1954) intergroup contact theory, Halbwachs’ (1992) collective memory, and Alexander’s (2004) cultural trauma to explain the negotiation of sectarian boundaries in the aftermath of violence.

Methodological rigor was enhanced through NVivo-assisted thematic analysis with inter-coder reliability protocols, peer debriefing, and stringent ethical protocols to prevent re-traumatization. The study’s primary contribution is the conceptualization of “cautious integration,” a dual structure in which mistrust and historical grievances persist at the symbolic and emotional levels, while economic interdependence, kinship ties, and shared rituals strategically reduce social distance in daily practice.

The findings reveal that rural mixed structures foster a resilient form of “mandatory/compulsory peace”, unlike the spatial and emotional segregation observed in urban centers.” Local religious leaders, Imams and Dedes, function as “mediatory actors” whose inclusive practices provide crucial symbolic infrastructure for social cohesion.” The research demonstrates that sustainable coexistence is achieved through the strategic development of a “living-with-trauma” approach rather than the erasure of trauma. The Çorum case suggests that when supported by cultural intimacy and localized religious mediation, grassroots solidarity practices can remain remarkably durable against macro-level political polarization, though long-term sustainability ultimately depends on institutional recognition and formal reconciliation mechanisms at the state level.

Keywords: Çorum Massacre, Alevi–Sunni Relations, Cautious Integration, Collective Memory, Intergroup Contact Theory, Cultural Trauma