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of many active citizens. Neither bodies of power, nor private business, nor public organizations or the most active individuals will ever be able to raise the level of social justice or social order in society acting only for their local interests. This can be achieved only through concerted actions of representatives of all social groups in the name of justice.
Society will be able to realize its support of civil activity and establishment of justice as a universal value and virtue along with the activity of political institutions which could ensure accord between all members of society on various problems on the principles of justice in every concrete situation.
The problem of justice in its entirety has never been posed for public discussion. It should be admitted that without solving this problem Russia will hardly be able to ensure the effective functioning of bodies of power or markets, promote and support non-market values and moral standards, observe laws everywhere, and lower the level of corruption. This will result in the preservation of Russia's lag behind the advanced countries of West-European civilization in all important spheres of social activity.
Obshchestvenniye nauki i sovremennost, " Moscow, 2013, No 5, pp. 27-36.
A. Mikhalyova,
Ph. D. (Political sciences), Institute of Philosophy
and Law RAS (Perm)
ISLAM IN ARKHANGELSK REGION
The northern regions of the European part of Russia are an interesting area for studying the penetration of alien religious practices in a system of stable socio-cultural standards. This process is especially
interesting in juxtaposition and contacts of such different cultural traditions as Christian and Muslim.
Arkhangelsk region is one in which the share of Muslim population does not exceed four percent. Islam has no many-century historical roots there, and the region itself has traditionally been regarded as "Russian" and "Orthodox Christian." In such regions the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church is strong, as a rule, and public feelings are largely dominated by Russophile and Christian ideas.
The data about the number of Muslims living in the region differ: official statistics gives the figure of eight thousand (2010). Regional mass media cite the figure of thirty thousand, and Muslim leaders think that the more correct number is twenty thousand.
Despite a comparatively weak number of Muslims living in the region, their religious and cultural tradition can hardly be called exotic for the local community. Islam emerged on the territory of Arkhangelsk region in the first half of the 19th century, when the first mosque was built there for Muslims serving in the Russian army. The next wave of Muslim migration in the region was caused by famine in Kazan region in 1899 - 1901 and the development of "colonial trade" controlled by Tatar merchants. On August 26, 1905, a new mosque with a minaret was opened there, which functioned until it was closed in 1931.
Contrary to historical tradition, the Muslim community of Arkhangelsk region is dominated not by Tatars, as before, but by Azerbaijanis. Changes in the ethnic composition of the umma took place between 2002 and 2010. The first Muslims in the region were of Tatar origin, whereas the present-day regional umma consists mainly of people from states bordering on Russia. According to official statistics, in 2010 there were 2,335 Tatars, 2,605 Azerbaijanis, 435 Uzbeks, 401 Tajiks, and 394 Bashkirs in the Muslim community of
Arkhangelsk region. But today the number of people from Daghestan reached 876, that is, about 11 percent of the regional umma.
Due to the historical conditions, geographical distance from "Muslim" centers, and little quantitative resources, the institutionalization of Muslim organizations in Arkhangelsk region began later than that in the Central European regions of Russia and was initiated by the local ethnic elites. Until now the work of religious organizations are closely intertwined with the activity of national cultural autonomies.
The first Muslim organization in the city of Arkhangelsk was registered in April 2004. Its members include not only Tatars. Among them are Avars, Darghins, Chechens, Arabs, Azerbaijanis, Russians, and others. The number of parishioners varies from 2,500 to 9,500. The community has a rented building used as a prayer house. The Arkhangelsk Muslim organization maintains relations with similar organizations in neighboring regions, as well as with the Orthodox Christian community, and issues a weekly newspaper "Put istiny" ("The Path of Truth") distributed freely. It also carried on a religious educational, charity, and public activity.
Another Muslim organization called "Nur Islam" was set up in April 2005. It has a mosque, which some people regard "the northernmost mosque in the world." But there are mosques in Russia, which are much farther to the North than the one in Arkhangelsk: for example, the mosques in Norilsk, Salekhard, and Novy Urengoi. "Nur Islam" carries on social and charity activity with support and material assistance of the trade company of the Republic of Tatarstan -"Tatarstan-Arkhangelsk."
In recent years local Islamic leaders have intensified their efforts in order to create an Islamic infrastructure in Arkhangelsk region, however, its present state leaves much to be desired. For example, they
devote much attention to setting up a network of shops selling special food products for Muslims, and organizing religious courses to study the Koran and Arabic.
Despite certain difficulties in the development of the Muslim community in Arkhangelsk region, the leaders of Islamic organizations emphasize the unique opportunities of the region. They single out a quiet and friendly situation and good relations among local inhabitants there.
The situation around Islam in the region can be called calm enough and favorable for the further development of the regional umma. The process of institutionalization of Muslim communities of Arkhangelsk region has begun later than in other regions of Russia, which made it possible to avoid superfluous politicization of the 1990s and refrain from radical methods in rivalry for leadership at the regional level. The leaders of the regional Muslim community have presented themselves as active and reliable partners. Institutionalization of Islam goes on along ethnic channels: by now two Muslim organizations have legally been registered - Tatar-Bashkir and Caucasian. The gradual development of the elements of an Islamic infrastructure will continue, just as an increase of the Islamic presence in the region.
"Islamovedeniye," Makhachkala, 2013, No 1, pp. 45-53.
Madina Aligadzhaeva,
Political analyst, Daghestan State Pedagogical University NATIONAL POLITICAL ELITE OF DAGHESTAN: SPECIFICS OF FORMATION AND FUNCTIONING
National relationships are implemented through the activities of the national elites that express (or think they express) goals, interests, hopes and aspirations of their nations, peoples, ethnic groups.
