THE ROLE OF THE ISLAMIC FACTOR IN THE PROCESS OF SOCIO-CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF CENTRAL ASIAN MUSLIMS IN MODERN RUSSIA

Abstract

This study analyzes the role of Islam as a factor determining the processes of sociocultural integration of migrants from Central Asian countries into Russian society. The relevance of the topic is due to the growth of migration flows, the significant proportion of Muslims among them, and the need for their harmonious integration. Islam, being the basis of the ethno-religious identity of migrants, has a dual impact on their adaptation. On the one hand, it acts as a mechanism for preserving cultural identity, and on the other, it can create obstacles to their full inclusion in social life. The focus is on official Islamic institutions and their influence on migrants’ adaptation strategies. The contradictory role of religious associations is examined: they serve as a social support network, but at the same time can contribute to the formation of closed ethno-religious communities and their isolation from the rest of society. The connection between the crisis in religious education in migrants’ countries of origin and the growing risk of the spread of radical ideologies, which significantly complicates integration processes, is analyzed separately. Particular attention is paid to the problem of the formation of ethnic enclaves (spatial segregation) as a threat to social unity. Thus, the study concludes that a successful policy for the integration of Muslim migrants is impossible without taking the religious factor into account. Its effectiveness directly depends on building a constructive dialogue between the authorities and religious organizations, as well as on developing comprehensive measures aimed at preventing interethnic and interreligious tensions.