Ethnic Minorities and the Politics of Identity in Russia: a Case Study on Chechnya

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Research Proposal On Ethnic Minorities and the Politics of Identity in Russia: A case study on Chechnya Submitted By Abhimanyu Sabar Registration no-36766 Submitted To Centre for Russian & Central Asian Studies School of International Studies Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi-110067 BACKGROUND Russia is a diverse or plural society having several ethnic minorities which is the legacy of Soviet Union. These ethnic minorities inhabit indifferent part of the Russia. Chechen are no exception who is largely a Muslim ethnic group that has lived for centuries in the mountain of north Caucuses ’ which is considered as the important place for reservoir of oil and other natural recourses. Recognized as distinct people since 17th century Chechen were active opponents of the Russia conquest of Caucasus during the period of 1818-1917.In 1818 Russia defeated leader Imam Shamil and his fighter who were aiming to establish an Islamic state. After the 1917 Russia Revolution, a declaration of independence by Chechen was met with occupation from the Bolshevik who later establish the Chechen-Ingush autonomous region in 1924 and in the mid 1930, it became an autonomous Republic. These group of people throughout history have been subdued by external rule by Russian czarist and then by Soviet. During 2nd world war Chechen and Ingush unit collaborated with the invading German Nazis and as result in 1944 Stalin deported many residents to Central Asia and Siberia because Stalin believed Chechen would welcome Nazi Germany in result for independence Chechenya. This mass deportation caused the loss of life to many conditions. With the death of Stalin in 1953, deportees were repatriated in 1956 and republic was reestablished in 1957. It is probably due this legacy which helps in explaining why Chechen nationalism has been more radical and ant-Russia then
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