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Яндекс.Метрика

DOI: 10.46698/VNC.2022.82.43.006

ETHNIC IDENTITY OF THE ADYGHES (BY THE 2021 RESEARCH)

Donezhuk, Murat Yu.
Izvestia SOIGSI. 2022. IIS 43 (82).
Abstract:
The article analyzes the phenomenon of ethnic identity based on the data obtained in
the course of a mass survey of Circassian students of colleges and universities in Maykop. It
is shown that among modern Adygs, ethnic identity is based mainly on ideas about “blood
ties” and kinship. The latter is the conductor of ethnic consciousness, because binds each
person with certain obligations both with the family and clan, and with the entire ethnic
community. By fulfilling these obligations, a person becomes involved in relationships where
ethnic identification and culture are of particular importance, as evidenced by the results of
the survey. So, answering the question why they consider themselves Adygs, students most often
associated their nationality with the nationality of their father and mother. As the study showed,
in the perception of respondents, one of the defining parameters of ethnic identity is their native
language. Before the 2021 All-Russian Population Census, Adyghe activists launched an
information campaign on the Internet. She assumed that all the Adygs of Russia should sign up
under the name “Circassian”. The students were asked a question related to the upcoming census
and a question allowing them to indicate their nationality. As the results of the study show, most
of the respondents were not going to be recorded as “Circassian”, preferring the names “Adyghe”
and “Adyg”. Moreover, when answering the question about their nationality, the proportion of
“Circassians” decreased markedly. This suggests that the use of the name “Circassian” is selfrepresentation
directed outward.
Keywords: ethnicity, identity, Adyghes, Circassians, Adygea
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