‘How can you not fast?’: religiosity among Crimean Tatars in post-2014 Crimea

This article examines religiosity among Crimean Tatars in Crimea following the 2014 annexation by the Russian Federation, situating the analysis within broader theories linking existential insecurity to religious engagement. Based on semi-structured interviews conducted in 2024, it explores how heightened perceptions of vulnerability, threats to cultural identity, and state repression have influenced religious practices. The findings show that Islam functions simultaneously as a psychological coping mechanism, a marker of collective ethnic identity, and a tool for social cohesion and resistance. Indicators of increased religiosity include mosque attendance, daily prayer, fasting, mosque construction, and the expansion of Islamic institutions and services. Collective memory, historical trauma, and community norms are central in shaping responses to existential insecurity. By focusing on the Crimean Tatars under occupation, this study highlights the importance of community-level analysis in understanding religiosity among vulnerable ethnic minorities. It contributes to the literature on religion, state, and uncertainty, demonstrating how religious engagement can serve spiritual, social, and political purposes under conditions of insecurity.