ICIRCASSIA DIGITAL CAPITALISM AND NEW TRANSNATIONAL IDENTITIES

Abstract

The significantly increased production of Circassian content on the Internet could be labelled as a form of virtual re-territorialisation of Circassia-especially considering the strong focus on identity and history. I apply the label 'iCircassia' as an addition to the classical understanding of the Circassian World as consisting of Circassians of the homeland and the diaspora. I suggest to apply the term 'digital capitalism' as an update of the terms 'print capitalism' and 'electronic capitalism' used by Benedict Anderson and Arjun Appadurai, respectively, to assign earlier periods of mediated mobilisation among nationalities-with or without a nation-state. In the case of the Circassians this is not just exemplified by the many different Circassian websites but also by the Circassians' use of social media such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter (Web 2. 0)-transnational and (partly) interactive by definition. A concrete empowerment of Circassian actors through the Internet is taking place. This illustrated how the development of 'digital capitalism' has both quantitatively and qualitatively new implications for a dispersed people such as the Circassians compared to earlier periods.