An Uneven Revival: Gendered Ethno-Regional Intersections of Religiousness in Kyrgyzstan

Societal transitions, ethnolinguistic identities, and marital conservatism in Central Asia

“…Both Kyrgyz and Uzbeks are of Turkic origin, and both have nomadic roots; however, Uzbeks, unlike Kyrgyz, have long been sedentary. While both Kyrgyz and Uzbeks are Sunni Muslim, Islam generally has a stronger influence among Uzbeks (Agadjanian, 2023). Although the unfolding demographic transition has reduced fertility of both groups, their fertility levels are above replacement, with the total fertility rates of 2.9 and 3.1 among Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, respectively, see Denisenko et al, 2012).…”

“…Some of the related patterns, such as delayed entry into marriage and rising marital instability (e.g., Agadjanian & Dommaraju, 2011; Dommaraju & Agadjanian, 2018), have mirrored broader changes that are typically attributed to Western cultural influences, to which Kyrgyzstani society became greatly exposed after the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. Yet, the independent period in Kyrgyzstan, as in other countries of post‐Soviet Central Asia, has also witnessed a considerable increase in conservative public narratives (Abdoubaetova, 2023) and, specifically, a rise of religiousness and corresponding resurgence of religiously sanctioned cultural norms and family/marital practices (Agadjanian, 2023; Faranda & Nolle, 2019; Laruelle, 2018). Although this religious renaissance, along with the reemergence or reconstruction of other traditional norms and practices, has been uneven and has been tightly controlled by the ruling elites, its impact on family and marriage‐related attitudes and practices, among other aspects of everyday life, may have been substantial, countervailing the influence of post‐Soviet exposure to Western norms and values.…”