Attitudes Toward Female Circumcision in Dagestani Society: “Not to be Mentioned!”

Abstract

The article researches the issue of female circumcision in the North Caucasus. It presents an analysis of sociological research conducted in the republics of the North Caucasus, in particular Dagestan. The principal hypothesis for the research was the premise that the perpetuation of female circumcision among the indigenous population of Dagestan was driven by the concealed nature of the tradition and the closed nature of the society, as well as by the growing significance of religion.