Authors

Discussion

The paper focuses on the role of collective memory among Crimean Tatars regarding the first annexation and deportation of 1944 in their survival strategies in occupied Crimea. It presents three survival strategies developed by secular and religious groups within the Crimean Tatar community, united around three institutions: Crimean Solidarity, Karadeniz Production, and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims in Crimea. Based on interviews and social media analysis, the paper demonstrates how the memory of the first annexation and deportation is employed for both latent and overt resistance against the Russian regime, as well as to justify cooperation with it. This memory also plays a significant role in discussions about the forced displacement of Crimean Tatars since 2014. The paper relies on data collected during field research in Crimea, both before and after its annexation. This data includes interviews and focus groups with representatives of the Crimean Tatar community from various age groups, genders, and professional backgrounds. Additionally, the paper draws on the analysis of social media, primarily Crimean Tatar groups on the social networking site Facebook, where many discussions related to the perceptions of the lives of Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea have taken place.