Female Muslim Organizations in Tatarstan: Between Traditionalization and Modernization

Abstract

The article deals with the formation of female Muslim organizations and their activities in the Republic of Tatarstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The study corroborates the idea that at practical and ideological levels these organizations nurture both the traditional and modern values. This observation is true for organizations associated with mosques, as well as independent civil ones. The combination of diff erent values may be explained by two reasons. First, by external infl uence of the secularized context of modern society; second, by secular experience of the Muslim activists. For some Muslim organizations, it is also important to appeal to regional history, including the pre-1917 female Islamic associations that came into being as an outcome of emancipation in the religious community.The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.