Land, Community, and the State in the Caucasus: Kabardino-Balkaria from Tsarist Conquest to Post-Soviet Politics

Description

In Land, Community, and the State in the Caucasus, Ian Lanzillotti traces the history of Kabardino-Balkaria from the extension of Russian rule in the late-18th century to the ethno-nationalist mobilizations of the post-Soviet era. As neighboring communities throughout the Caucasus mountain region descended into violence amidst the Soviet collapse, Russia's multiethnic Kabardino-Balkar Republic enjoyed intercommunal peace despite tensions over land and identity. Lanzillotti explores why this region avoided violent ethniczed conflict by examining the historic relationships that developed around land tenure in the Central Caucasus and their enduring legacies. This study demonstrates how Kabardino-Balkaria formed out of the dynamic interactions among the state, the peoples of the region, and the space they inhabited. Deeply researched and elegantly argued, this book deftly balances sources from Russia's central archives with rare and often overlooked archival material from the Caucasus region to provide the first historical examination of Kabardino-Balkaria in the English language. As such, Land, Community, and the State in the Caucasus is a key resource for scholars of the Caucasus region, modern Russia, and peace studies. Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Maps Acknowledgments Glossary Introduction Chapter 1: Land, Community, and Conquest in the Central Caucasus, 1763–1825 Chapter 2: The Caucasus War and the Disorder of Intercommunal Relations in the Central Caucasus, 1825–61 Chapter 3: Colonization, Intercommunal Relations, and Imperial Integration: Kabarda and Its Neighbors from Reform to Revolution, 1861–1917 Chapter 4: From Princely Fiefdoms to Soviet Nations: Border Delimitation, Intercommunal Conflict, and National Identity, 1918–28 Chapter 5: From KBASSR to KASSR to KBASSR: Intercommunal Relations, Nationalities Policy, and the Deportation, Return, and Reintegration of the Balkars, 1944–66 Chapter 6: Intercommunal Relations and Ethnic Politics in the Post-Soviet Caucasus: Kabardino-Balkaria and Its Neighbors Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index