The concept of civil society in Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, is often a dilemma for researchers, as are the definition and classification of indigenous forms of social organizations. Studies suggest that applying a western, neoliberal definition of civil society to understand the nature of Uzbek civil society is problematic.1 Associational life in the west, predominantly in Europe, was historically based on individual interests and motivations. Yet a different pattern existed in Central Asia, where the foundations of organizations and associations tended to be grounded in kinship and traditional arrangements.

Understanding civil society in Uzbekistan thus requires a more nuanced view of the social structures and relations, institutions, and practices that have built up in the country with the interaction of local culture, traditions, and political systems. Traditional forms of association based on tribal and clan identities that revolve around strong extended family links have historically been a form of social organization for the Uzbek people and have served as social safety nets.3 Seventy years under the former Soviet Union did not diminish these tribal groupings and clan affiliations, and these remain current among the Uzbek people. After independence,