Contribution short abstract:

How do Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan overcome deep differences in their daily lives in the post-conflict context? How do Kyrgyz state authorities and Uzbek ethnic minority communities navigate cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity?

Contribution long abstract:

The Osh conflict of summer 2010 in southern Kyrgyzstan, the worst unrest in decades and the second largest in Soviet Central Asia's history after the 1990 conflict, involved significant tensions between the Uzbek business sector and the Kyrgyz state structure. This paper examines the practices of overcoming differences between Kyrgyz state authorities and Uzbek businessmen in the post-conflict environment of southern Kyrgyzstan. My aim is not to define what 'difference' is or how to overcome differences in the best possible way. Instead, I am interested in exploring specific practices of governing differences and understanding how they 'function' as everyday practices within a particular social environment.

At the heart of overcoming polarization—such as rebuilding inter-ethnic connections and fostering a symbiotic relationship between the state and business—many Uzbeks have employed strategies centered on re-establishing patronage networks with Kyrgyz state authorities. Uzbek businessmen use these networks to protect their enterprises in exchange for political loyalty and securing Uzbek votes during elections. These patron-client relationships, built on mutual obligation and strategizing, often blend elements of friendship and patronage, shaped by self-interest and bound by a moral system.

In this context, Kyrgyz kin terms play a vital role in bridging polarization and fostering patron-client ties. Specifically, the ritualized parenthood ökül ata-ene serves as a framework where patrons are selected by clients for economic support, security, and overcoming polarization. This paper delves into the dynamics of these relationships, highlighting their significance in navigating inter-ethnic and socio-political challenges in post-conflict southern Kyrgyzstan.