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Muslim networks in contemporary Russia:
scale, activism and leadership

Yarlykapov A.A.,

MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, a.yarlykapov@gmail.com

elibrary_id: 144340 | ORCID: 0000-0001-5173-0909 | RESEARCHER_ID: S-6116-2019

Chechevishnikov A.L.,

MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, a.chechevishnikov@inno.mgimo.ru

elibrary_id: 473798 | ORCID: 0000-0002-9221-7527 | RESEARCHER_ID: AAE-6025-2020

Article received: 2026.05.16 11:00. Accepted: 2026.06.20 11:00


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2026.05.04
EDN: BAVQEQ

Rubric: Theme of the issue: 50th Anniversary of the MGIMO Institute of international studies

For citation:

Yarlykapov A.A., Chechevishnikov A.L. Muslim networks in contemporary Russia: scale, activism and leadership. – Polis. Political Studies. 2026. No. 5. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2026.05.04. EDN: BAVQEQ (In Russ.)

The reported study was funded by MGIMO-University, project number 1921-01-01 (“Socio-cultural phenomenon offrontier in the post-Soviet space: mass consciousness, ethno-cultural and religious identities, social practices”).

Abstract

This article examines informal Islamic networks in contemporary Russia, which, according to the authors, play a key role in organizing the religious life of Muslims, often operating beyond formal structures. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Western Siberia (Novy Urengoy, Surgut and Tomsk), the North Caucasus, and Georgia, the authors demonstrate how transregional and transnational Islamic networks form mosaic communities, address practical issues such as halal food provision, transportation, education, conflict resolution, and create alternative centers of influence. Special attention is paid to the diversity of Islamic networks and to the phenomenon of ‘re-Islamization' among migrants. Methodologically, the study combines structural social network analysis with actor-network theory, applying such criteria as the density of ties, nodal actors, horizontality, and the capacity for rapid mobilization. The authors conclude that studying network activism is essential for understanding the actual balance of power within Muslim communities, where informal leaders and horizontal ties often prevail over official hierarchies.

 

Keywords

Islamic networks, religious activism, Sufism, informal leaders, Muslim communities, transnational networks, re-Islamization, Novy Urengoy, Muftiate of Dagestan, network methodology.

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