We present a study of the Crimean Tatar national narrative — the story that members of this nation tell about their past, present, and future
Our organization has previously examined the Ukrainian national narrative and found that there are three distinct visions of Ukraine. Now it is time to examine the identity narrative of another major indigenous people of Ukraine.
As our study has shown, there is one coherent history of the Crimean Tatar nation and its experiences over a long period. However, it is notable that many informants and opinion leaders do not address significant issues specific to national narratives. Little emphasis is placed on internal problems or understanding different historical periods. It seems that, under conditions of occupation and uncertainty about the future, uncertainty about the past also emerges. However, several intellectual traditions address these issues. They differ very little in their achievements, and both consolidation around a common vision and further separation with the formation of several separate narratives of national Crimean Tatar identity are open to them. We labeled informants who did not express one of these separate views as neutral. The rest were divided into three sub-narratives, the features of which were described at the end of each unit.
The “Traditional” subnarrative
leans heavily on the tragic chapters of Crimean Tatar history. It highlights the contrast between I. Gasprinsky’s secular heritage and that of individual religious groups. The main emphasis is on Crimean Tatars independently deciding their fate in partnership with Ukraine. This subnarrative largely emerged in the 1990s in Crimea.
The “Modern” Ukrainian-oriented sub-narrative
emphasizes the majestic and successful episodes in Crimean Tatar history. It draws attention to the few traitors who still exist among these people. The modernization of the Crimean Tatar project is considered purely in the context of the modernization of the Ukrainian project. This narrative has been shaped primarily by individuals raised in Kyiv.
The “Islamic” subnarrative
sees Islam as the basis for the formation and prosperity of the Crimean Tatar people. It recognizes a division between religious and non-religious representatives of the people. This structure is evident among traditional religious figures and representatives of Hizb ut-Tahrir.
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The study employs a general approach developed by Karina Korostelina for the analysis of national narrative.