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Tsibenko V. V. Consolidation of Turkish Circassians on a Clan Basis: the Case of the Association of Culture and Solidarity of the Dzibe Family

Veronika V. Tsibenko
Southern Federal University
Rostov-on-Don, Russia
E-mail: tsibenkovv@sfedu.ru

 

  Download  |  Go to Issue #2. 2019

 

ABSTRACT. Circassians constitute the largest diaspora in Turkey. More than 170 Circassian organizations function in the country, engaging into complex relations of cooperation and confrontation based on ethnic, religious, and political divisions. In addition, there is an ongoing struggle for the leadership and the right to represent the interests of Circassians at the governmental level. Under these conditions, the experience of creating the first and only organization which consolidates the Circassians on a clan (extended family) basis provides unique material for research.
The Association of Culture and Solidarity of the Dzibe family was established in 2011 in Turkey to unite representatives of the Dzibe (Dzybe, Dzyba, Tsyba, Dzybov) clan in the Caucasus (Abkhazia, Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia) and the diaspora. In this article we discuss the history and main features of the organization as well as the reasons for its closure in 2016. We try to explore the mechanisms of consolidation on the clan basis and to identify its limiting factors. Among the main reasons for the failure of this attempt to consolidate the Circassians we consider the weakening of contacts with the Caucasus, based on the decline in interest to communication, language barriers and political conjuncture; the passivity of the members of the association, along with the fatigue of its leaders; the financial problems and, finally, the generation gap.

KEYWORDS: Circassians, diaspora, Caucasus, Turkey, ethnic organizations

 

УДК 929.52(=352.3)
DOI 10.31250/2618-8619-2019-2(4)-89-96

 

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