This summer’s second anniversary of the 2007 ethnic riots in Stavropol has coincided with the cessation of Russian anti-terrorist operations in Chechnya and a subsequent growth of interest in the theme of conflict resolution in the North Caucasus. Based on the violent experience of the two Chechen Wars, some observers have defined the North Caucasus as a whole as a tinderbox of primordial ethnic conflict just waiting to explode. However, this is far from the daily reality experienced by residents in Stavropol  Krai, the largest ethnic Russian territory in the North Caucasus. 

Certainly, interethnic tension among ethnic Russians and ethnic Caucasians, particularly Chechens, does exist in Stavropol  – as part of the legacy of mass migration as a result of the Chechen Wars, but also of Soviet-era deportations and territorial reconfigurations, and more recent structural changes in the local economy. Localized conflict has, mainly, been caused by the mass in-migration of ethnic Caucasians over a short time period from the national republics of the North Caucasus into Stavropol  Krai. This in-migration occurred at a time of rising Russian ethno-nationalism and (Islamic) extremism. Ultimately, a dispute in an internet cafe between Russian and Chechen students lead to very bitter interethnic rioting and left three people dead.

Since the 2007 riots, mutual suspicion has remained high. But this has significant geographical variations, and is closely linked to ethnic geography. In the north and west of the krai – where an ethnic Russian population still dominates – interethnic marriage between Slavs and Caucasians is rare and ethnic segregation is strong. Here, questions about equal access to education, jobs, housing, and land are issues of great concern for Caucasians given the widespread ‘Caucasophobia’ which permeates Russian society. By contrast, in the south and east of the krai (near the shared borders with Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia) – where the ethnic Caucasian population is increasingly significant – mixed marriages between Caucasian are common and communities are largely intermixed. In this part of the krai ethnic Russians have begun to speak of a “domestic abroad” appearing within Russia. 

Recent developments – including the Russo-Georgian War, during which both Russians and Chechens helped settle refugees fleeing from South Ossetia, and the creation of an ‘Advisory Board for the Question of National-Ethnic Relations’ – serve as positive signs of a North Caucasian territory in which interethnic relations are improving. 

Local people have developed various mechanisms to ensure that the 2007 events are not repeated. Academics at Stavropol State University (SGU) have been particularly active and serve as one constructive example. For some time, SGU academics have studied firsthand the problems surrounding ethno-nationalism in Stavropol . The ethnic balance of the rayon where SGU is located has been altered by the immigration of Caucasians, replacing Russians who have emigrated. Tensions have grown on the individual level. 

For many years now, the Institute of Geography at SGU has held annual international conferences on the topic of interethnic relations in the North Caucasus. Academics there have long believed that political inactivity at the federal level has contributed to ethnic extremism and conflict in their region. They see that they have a responsibility to educate the local population about ethnic relations. Without this education, they believe that ignorance and ethnic tension will spread. 

The ‘Advisory Board’ of Stavropol Krai has been particularly helpful with this project. In collaboration with local academics, they have begun to publish works which help citizens understand the ethnography of the region. This is seen as a major factor in reducing ethnic tension. One recent example of this is the publication of an ‘Ethnic Atlas of Stavropol  Krai’ (authored by Vitali Belozerov, Alexander Panin, and Vitali Chikhichin, of SGU). 

The approach of uniting divided communities through education is one that has been taken up by other institutions. Local schools, for instance School Number 25, have been active recently in bringing students together in Stavropol  City through activities such as sports and foreign language lessons. 

With border disputes, rising unemployment, nationalism, and terrorism, and with memories of the 2007 riots still fresh, there is significant potential for ethnic conflict to erupt again in Stavropol  Krai. In spite of this, Stavropol  has, in the two years since, been spared from a repeat of the 2007 riots. This is partly due to government policy, but also due to the determination of local academics to find solutions to their own problems.  

Many events other than the riots occurred in Stavropol  in 2007. Perhaps most notably, the city celebrated 230 years of history as a multi-ethnic city. It is that anniversary, rather than the violent events of two years ago, that Stavropol residents would rather focus on.