Abstract

As of March 2011, some of the Circassians who were forced to leave their country due to the civil war and unrest in Syria have returned to their homeland, the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic of the Russian Federation. Some of those who returned either went to other countries or returned to their countries of origin. However, some preferred to stay in their ancestral lands, from which they were expelled during the Great Circassian Exile of 1864, and re-established themselves in the Nalchik province and its districts and villages. This study focuses on the life stories of these Circassian families who returned to their homeland, the language and social adaptation problems they faced, employment opportunities, participation in cultural and artistic activities, and social issues such as social acceptance and marginalization. This study is based on data obtained from in-depth interviews with 15 families and their individuals selected through sociological sampling, using semi-structured questions. The study argues that while return has forced Syrian refugees to learn Russian as a new language and become acquainted with the laws of the Russian Federation, living in their homeland has provided gains in terms of their sense of belonging and self-identification with Circassian identity. However, it also suggests that they still maintain the hybrid Arab-Circassian behavioral habits into which they were born and raised.

Keywords: Syrian identity, refugee status, Circassian identity, homeland, Nalchik

P.S:This study will also be presented as a panel proposal at DAVO1.