Factors in National Self-Designation of Slavic Muslims in the Montenegrin Sandžak.

The article examines the national self-identification of Slavic Muslims in the Montenegrin part of the Sandžak region, focusing on their division into Bosniaks and national Muslims as recorded in recent censuses. It finds that this fragmentation is not primarily influenced by political elites, proximity to Bosnia and Herzegovina, or ethnic origins, but rather by the religious homogeneity of municipalities: Bosniak identification is stronger in predominantly Muslim communities, while in mixed Muslim-Christian areas, Slavic Muslims tend to identify as national Muslims due to social pressures and the desire to maintain positive interethnic relations. The constructs "Bosniak" and "Muslim" carry distinct sociopolitical meanings, with Bosniakism linked to broader ethno-national ties beyond Montenegro and Muslimhood associated with Montenegrin state patriotism and autochthony. The study applies symbolic interactionism to explain how local social environments shape national identity choices among Slavic Muslims in this region.