Perceptions of Circassian identity in the Caucasus and diaspora

For over two hundred years, the bulk of the Circassian population has been living in the diaspora, spread our across many different geographies outside their traditional homeland in the North Caucasus. The identity perception of Circassians who live under different political administrations in the diaspora can also change according to the countries and time they reside. This is especially true among the Circassians in Turkey, where the majority the Circassian population resides. Living among other nations from the Caucasus has led to significant differences in the perception of Circassian identity. Additionally, after the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, the Turkish national identity-building process impeded the expression of ethnic identities impossible for a long time. The spread of communication and transportation with the influence of globalization throughout the world reunited Circassians living in different geographies; thus, this case adversely unearthed different discussions about Circassian identity after 2000s. The debates centred upon the question "Who is Circassian?" entered the agenda of Caucasian non-governmental organizations and went through the separation of NGOs and even resulted in title changes of these NGOs. During this time, many of these NGOs also experienced disagreements in their organizational structures. This thesis will explore all these factors and examine changes in Circassian identity from the era of the Ottoman Empire through the present. Additionally, Circassian identity in the North Caucasus, ethnic homeland of the Circassians, and the perception of the Circassian identity perceived in the diaspora will also be compared. The thesis will attempt to identify Circassian perceptions among Caucasian societies living both in the Caucasus and in the diaspora. While researching these topics, we use interview technique, which is one of the qualitative research techniques. These will consist of interviews among ethnic Circassians, which will then be compared to writings from the news media, NGOs and a variety of individual and organizational social media ccounts. The goal in evaluating these sources is to answer the question "Who is Circassian. Although a major part of this study was conducted in Turkey since the majority of the Circassian population lived in Turkey, the Circassians living in their homeland North Caucasus and in other countries were also included in this research paradigm. Presently, the research suggests that identity perception is neither static nor uniform and may differ according to time, personality, political administrations and sociological events. Although the historical record clearly identifies Circassians as an ethnic group, perceptions of identity are deeply personal and variable in the modern age. Keywords: Circassian, diaspora, identity, Caucasus