Russia's Muslims, numbering some 15 million, constitute far from a homogeneous sociopolitical group. So ... What does it mean to be a Muslim in Russia today?  How is the image of Islam constructed, and how do the country's Muslims—and non-Muslims—perceive and react to it? These are the questions that gave rise to this book.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, the authors explore in what ways, and with what impact, Islam in contemporary Russia has been shaped by the interactions of the Soviet legacy, local cultures and languages, and external forces. They also address the influence of Islam on Russia's current Middle East policy. Their work is a rich and distinctive contribution to enhancing our understanding of the complexity and fluidity of Muslim identity in post-Soviet Russian politics and society.

Gregory Simons is associate professor in the Institute for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Uppsala University and also affiliated with Turiba University and the Ural Federal University. Marat Shterin is professor of the sociology of religion at King's College London. Eric Shiraev is professor and senior research associate in the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University.