Between State and Society: The Position of the Mahalla in Uzbekistan

Abstract

This chapter will analyze an indigenous institution that has been continuously referred to in the context of social capital construction: the neighborhood community or Mahalla. While Central Asian local communities, such as the Mahalla, have gained considerable footing in recent years, there is still no consensus on the role of these communities in the construction of the new states and societies of the region. The main thrust of this chapter is to suggest that community represents one of a few effective traditional substitutes to unite the representatives of various ethnic and religious groups through creation of common identity based on a shared residence criterion. In addition, while Central Asia faces all possible evils, such as environmental hazards and economic shortcomings, these problems cannot be addressed without localizing public dissatisfaction and creating public consent within smaller communities like the Mahalla. However, throughout the history of these communities, political authorities have often been attempted to manipulate these institutions in order to enhance their legitimacy in the eyes of both their population and other governments.