Author Information
Nataliya Ivanova, RANEPA, RussiaEvgeni Varshaver, RANEPA, Russia
Abstract
The paper presents an analysis of the norms of matrimony in contemporary Dagestan (Russia) and the role of ethnic classification by Soviet nationalities within it. Based on 133 in-depth interviews conducted across various regions of the republic, the study examines both formal norms and actual practices of marriage. The findings reveal a significant transformation in matrimonial norms, marked by a shift from traditional expectations of marrying within one's village to more universalistic approaches that permit forming families with Muslim individuals or anyone regardless of categorical membership. Soviet nationalities are relatively rarely mentioned as a factor in choosing a marital partner. When referenced, the preference for marrying within the same nationality is justified by the same arguments used to explain the logic of prioritizing marriages within one’s village. This suggests that nationalities act as a modern form of particularism, which, however, is not (and possibly never fully was) a significant regulator of marital relations. The study is contextualized within the hypothesis regarding the irrelevance of nationalities in Dagestan as a classificatory framework and is analyzed through the prism of literature dedicated to marital universalization in a global context.
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