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?