The Caucasian Canaan: Can the Republic of Adigeya Accept Repatriates?

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the prospects of probable mokhajeer (descendants of the Adigs, expelled from their homeland in XIX century; now live predominantly in Turkey and the Middle East countries) repatriation to Adigeya. This Republic, a member of the Russian Federation, is considered now to be "an island of stability" in the turbulent Caucasus area. The text, based on materials of the Department of Justice and the Statistical Bureau of Adigeya, shows that possible mass migration can change the present ethnic composition of the Republic's population, which would have a negative impact on both: a) Russian-Adigeyan contacts within the Republic; b) relations between Adigeya and the Federal Government.

Keywords

• judicial anthropology
• Russia
• Caucasus area
• Adigeya
• migration (repatriation)
• ethnic conflicts