Translating Islam into the language of the Russian state and the Orthodox Church |
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Authors: | Gulnaz Sibgatullina |
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Institution: | 1. Leiden University Centre for Linguistics, Leiden, The Netherlandsg.sibgatullina@hum.leidenuniv.nl |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACTThis contribution analyses the discursive strategies exercised by Russia’s state-appointed Islamic authorities. It draws on a linguistic corpus that consists of speeches and sermons by Mufti Ravil’ Gainutdin, the head of a major Muslim Spiritual Directorate in Moscow. A multi-levelled analysis shows that the mufti’s lexical and rhetorical choices correspond to the discourse of the Russian Orthodox Church elites. This affinity is a discursive strategy that allows Gainutdin to position himself as the authoritative leader of Russia’s Islamic community and to construct Islam as Russia’s ‘familiar’ and ‘traditional’ religion. |
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Keywords: | Islamic authorities Russian Orthodox Church Ravil’ Gainutdin Russian language of Islam |
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