Muslims in Putin's Russia

This book offers a novel interpretation of Russian contemporary discourse on Islam and its influence on Russian state policies. It shifts the analytical perspective from the discussion about Russia's Islam as a potential security threat to a more comprehensive view of the relationships of Muslims with Russia as a state and a civilization. The work demonstrates how many Muslims increasingly express a sense of belonging to Russia and are increasingly willing to contribute to state building processes.

Draws upon a variety of Russian primary sources, including the public media, religious leaders and institutions, state leaders and institutions, philosophers, scholars, bloggers, etc. Considers the complexity of the relations between Muslims and the Russian state Offers in-depth treatments of the relations between the state and official Islamic organizations, on Russian counterterrorism doctrine vis-à-vis the international community, and on the role of Islam in Russian foreign policy

Autorentext
Simona E. Merati is a Research Fellow in the Middle East Studies Program at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, USA. Her research focuses on the post-Soviet Russian space, in particular Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. The Identity of Russia's Muslims.- 3. Russia's Muslim Communities.- 4. Russia's Islamic Religious Institutions and the State.- 5. Islam and Security in Russia.- 6. Islam, Terrorism, and Revolution in Russia.- 7. The Role of Islam in Russia's Geopolitical View.- 8. Conclusion.