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Paper short abstract:

This paper examines the continuity and change of sensory-aesthetic devotional practices of Muharram mourning in Azerbaijan and argues for an understanding of ritual resilience. These rituals are shown to be flexible and openly contested allowing them to adapt to changing socio-political contexts.

Paper long abstract:

Scholars of Islam in post-Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus have been preoccupied trying to trace the origins of the so-called Islamic revival in the region, often neglecting the dynamics of continuing ritual practice in the face of social and political change. Since the 19th Century, Muharram rituals mourning the martyrdom of Imam Husain have come under sustained and public critique in the Caucasus and have been the target of state campaigns and bans. Despite this, mourning has remained a constant, albeit changing, feature of Shi’i devotional life in the region. This paper examines the continuity and change of sensory-aesthetic devotional practices of Muharram mourning, and the debates surrounding them, in Azerbaijan and argues for an understanding of Shi’i ritual in terms of resilience. These rituals are shown to be flexible and openly contested allowing them to adapt to changing socio-political contexts.

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Paper short abstract:

Tengrism, an ancient Turko-Mongolic religion, has recently been revived across Central Asia. Relying on online questionnaire data, this paper examines Tengrism as a lived religion amongst young adults in Kazakhstan, and its use in national identity building on both the state and individual level.

Paper long abstract:

The development of a national identity that excludes imperial Russian and Soviet history has been a priority in Central Asia since 1991. For Kazakhstan, one way of reconstructing identity has been through the lens of religion. In particular, there has been a revitalization of Tengrism, a Turko-Mongolic religion, and embracing the country's Turkic identity.

Both Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have worked to erase their Soviet past from their national identities, instead embracing their roots prior to the Russian Empire. Using an online questionnaire, this paper collects data on attitudes towards Tengrism amongst young adults in Kazakhstan, including how important they believe the religion is to their personal identity and to what extent they feel that state narratives promote the religion and connect it to national identity. This paper will also look into speeches and statements made by leaders of Kazakhstan since 1991 which have worked to construct national identity and to the degree that Tengrism is introduced as the true religion of Kazakhstan.

This paper will introduce an innovative approach to the theory of lived religion which has, up until now, predominantly focused only on the United States. By discussing lived religion in the context of Kazakhstan it allows for a broader understanding of how religion can be tied to an identity without a practicing population and can help understand how religion can be promoted as a part of a national identity.

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Paper short abstract:

This paper explores new and traditional forms of Muslim Civil Society in Kyrgyzstan. This research asks: What is the composition and status of Muslim civil society organizations in Kyrgyzstan and how can these groups be incorporated in the design of policy on civil society?

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores new and traditional forms of Muslim Civil Society in Kyrgyzstan. In the eyes of many, Islam is perceived as a conservative religion that imposes many restrictions on the freedom of speech and social mobility of women, creates all kinds of hierarchical structures and thus does not quite fit into the typical Western view on civil society. For others, nothing can be further from the truth: Islam is the religion that is inherently democratic, inclusive and emancipatory and the Islamic history is the history of civil society in its most active and innovative forms. From the policy perspective, Muslim Civil Society Organizations (MCSOs) are important actors that can and do make major contributions to the improvement of well-being of their societies and actively engage community members. While the importance of Islam and MCS is growing all across Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan remains an undoubtful champion. Given the less authoritarian nature of political authorities and administrations, three consequent revolutions and more active and diverse civil society groups in general, the world of MCS groups in Kyrgyzstan is also more diverse and dynamic. This research aims to answer the following research questions: What is the composition and status of MCSOs in Kyrgyzstan and how can these groups be incorporated in the design of policy on civil society?