ABSTRACT
This chapter examines three aspects of what it means to 'be' a Meskhetian Turk: being Turkish, being Soviet, and being Muslim. It explores Meskhetian Turks' representation of themselves, at times in contrast to others' representations. The chapter extends Daniel's framework to apply it also to dispositions towards religion. It argues in all three cases, a heritage disposition, 'a vague, though rich, potentiality' rather than something 'sharply defined and clearly instantiated'. The chapter begins with most Meskhetian Turks in Krasnodar have not been granted citizenship, despite being entitled to it by their residence in Russia at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. It suggests that the nature of Meskhetian Turks' engagement with their religion parallels their approach to their past — both the recent Soviet past and distant past in which their 'origins' as Turks may be sought.
