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A Sudden upsurge of Islamisation with militant and violent versions was witnessed in post Soviet Uzbekistan. Although Islam for centuries has been an important marker in determining Uzbek and Central Asian identity and national consciousness, it has nevertheless been a multifaceted phenomenon, characterized by the divisions along Shia-Sunni suborders, syncretic shamanist practices, popular/official denominations and lately by Wahabi and fundamentalist versions. Post Soviet Uzbekistan suffered from an ideological void, providing an opportunity to external actors to engage with the people having fundamental tendencies and religious orthodoxy, as opposed to Central Asian ethos and incumbent secular regime. Along with external actors of oil rich West Asian states, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan the regional actors Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Hizb-ul Tahreer (HT), Akramiya and the like were instrumental in the resurgence of Islam with violent consequences for the whole region. Prolonged fusion of religion with ethno-nationalism and subsequent Soviet suppression, the tribal social structure, economic depression and repressive policies of Islam Karimove's authoritarian rule are no less significant in determining resurgence of Islam in Uzbekistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tashkent's handling of anti-government protests and violence in the city of Andijon on 13 May 2005 has generated enormous controversy and had significant political repercussions. However, there has been no detailed analysis of rival interpretations of what happened. This paper begins to redress this lacuna by analysing a book on the subject authored by the President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov. Using framing theory, it identifies four key themes deployed in the narrative to delegitimize the government's opponents: terrorism and criminality; inauthentic Uzbekness and deviant masculinity/religiosity; constitutional illegitimacy; and the subversion of the scientific laws of states. Significantly for an understanding of regime legitimization and nationalism in Uzbekistan, no recourse is made to the government's intellectual framework known as the 'ideology of national independence'. The paper points to the need for further research to enable scholars to develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the contemporary politicization of national belonging in independent Uzbekistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author focuses on the significance of Islam and Turanian in the context of nation building in Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan. He theorizes that Islam and Turanian are used for constructing and imagining both national and transnational concepts of identity. The author discusses translocality, defining it as a milieu in which forms of social life and political articulation related to the construction of the nation state are created. He discusses a number of topics including Uzbek-Turkish translocality, trade in Central Asia, language and culture, and Islam in the region.