'To Be and Remain a Muslim in Prison:...' New Article in 'Universe of Russia'
The research article by Director of the Centre for Youth Studies Elena Omelchenko and Albina Garifzianova, Associate Professor at Kazan Federal University, is published in the 'Universe of Russia' Journal. The work is focused on analysis of survival strategies, solidarities and agency preservation among Muslim prisoners within the Russian penitentiary system.
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In their work «To Be and Remain a Muslim in Prison: From Survival Strategies to Agency and Resistance» Elena Omelchenko and Albina Garifzianova They examine what mechanisms allow prisoners to maintain their religious identity under conditions of isolation and strict regime pressure.
The empirical basis of the study is 74 biographical interviews with former prisoners conducted in three regions of Russia: Sverdlovsk Oblast, the Republic of Tatarstan, and Saint Petersburg. The collecting of materials was carried on from 2019 to 2021 within the framework of the project of the Centre for Youth Studies 'In the Shadow of Gulag: Producing, Consuming and Perceiving Prisons in the Former Soviet Union'.
According to some research findings, Islam may serve a dual function. From one side, religious conversion helps prisoners build protective strategies, obtain status and avoid violence. From the other side, Muslim 'brotherhood' (сemaat) often becomes an additional source of control, imposing demands on the believer’s behavior and ensuring strict adherence to rituals. As the authors note, a person finds themselves under triple pressure — from the administration, the criminal hierarchy, and the Muslim community.
The article is written in Russian and is available for reading.
citation: Omelchenko E., & Garifzianova A. (2026). To Be and Remain a Muslim in Prison: From Survival Strategies to Agency and Resistance. Universe of Russia, 35(2), 170-193.
