Hierarchy and identities’ compatibility of different ethnic groups of the North Caucasus

On February 1 Olga S. Pavlova (Cand. Ped. Sciences, associate Professor, chair of ethnic psychology and psychological problems of multicultural education in Moscow State University of Psychology and Education" (MSUPE); expert of the Department of science, education and culture of Muslim Spiritual Board in Russian Federation; member of ed. board of the journal "Islam in the modern world") took part in the «Culture matters» research seminar with the report on "Hierarchy and identities’ compatibility of different ethnic groups of the North Caucasus".

The report presents the preliminary results of the socio-psychological study of the structure and hierarchy of identities of the ethnoses of the North Caucasus: Chechens, Ingush, Circassians, Karachays and Balkars. Special attention was focused on the review of the content and actualization of ethnic, religious and civil identity, their individual components.

The study of the structure of social identity of Russian ethnic groups professing Islam, is of great interest, as each of them has different relations in the structure of social identity, in particular in the context of the relation between ethnic, religious (confessional) and civil identities.

Based on the conducted research Olga concludes that about 60% of Chechen respondents and 40% of respondents-Ingush ethnic and religious (confessional) identities tend to merge.

Many Adygs perceive religious and ethnic identities as incompatible. In addition, problems of identities’ compatibility are observed to religious and civic identities.

Based on the analysis of modern and historical situation involving ethnographic, political science and Islamic material and materials of own social-psychological research conducted over 10 years in the republics of the North Caucasus, the author has described her vision of the causes of characterized phenomena and prediction of their development.

The report aroused great interest among the participants of the workshop. The discussion touched on many issues connected with inter-ethnic relations and the prospects for cultural change and transformation of values at the individual level in this region.