title: Tatarstan and Bashkortostan: A Political and Religious Test for Tsar Putin
abstract: The process of institutional centralization launched by Mr. Putin in a Federation currently counting 85 entities (including the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol’) is likely to collide with the self-government aspirations, particularly by the 22 republics, because of a documented extensive presence of ethnic minority groups living in their territories. Each of them has its own constitution and legislation. But, according to the Russian Federal Law, all regional heads are to be nominated by Russi
journal: International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding