Uyat and the Culture of Shame in Central Asia

This book proposes an interdisciplinary look at the culture of shame in Central Asia and evaluates its role in the regulation of social and political interactions in the region. Contributors demonstrate how 'uyat' relies on patriarchal and hierarchical gender norms that negatively affect women and queer bodies. More specifically, contributors address issues of the taboo of sex education in Kazakhstani schools, favored heteronormativity and its consequences on queer bodies, and the compliance of parents to give their first born to adoption to the husband's parents in Kyrgyzstan. The book also reflects on how these norms are challenged by young generations. Lastly, the book will also bring a novel reading on local political dynamics by examining the role of shame in Kazakhstani politics as a form of accountability in the absence of genuine political competition. This book will interest scholars of Central Asia, gender theorists, and scholars of post-socialist societies.

List of contents

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Conceptualizing Shame.- Chapter 3: Purity vs. Safety: How Uyat Undermines Youth's Sexual Literacy in Kazakhstan.- Chapter 4: 'Uyat emes' or the process of de-shaming in Kazakhstan.- Chapter 5: Ashamed to mother: The practice of 'nebere aluu' in Kyrgyzstan.- Chapter 6: The role of uyat or the culture of shame in the regulation of queer subjectivities in Kazakhstan, and forms of resistance against it.- Chapter 7: Public shaming as a form of accountability in Kazakhstani politics.

About the author

Hélène Thibault is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science and International Relations (Nazarbayev University) and author of Transforming Tajikistan: State-Building and Islam in Post-Soviet Central Asia (2018).

Jean-François Caron is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science and International Relations (Nazarbayev University) and Director of the book series entitled Steppe and Beyond: Studies on Central Asia at Palgrave MacMillan.

Product details

Assisted by	Caron (Editor), Jean-François Caron (Editor), Hélène Thibault (Editor)
Publisher	Springer, Berlin
Languages	English
Product format	Paperback / Softback
Released	01.09.2023
EAN	9789811943300
ISBN	978-981-1943-30-0
No. of pages	176
Dimensions	148 mm x 10 mm x 210 mm
Illustrations	XII, 176 p. 19 illus., 13 illus. in color.
Series	The Steppe and Beyond: Studies; The Steppe and Beyond: Studies on Central Asia
Subject	Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Women's and gender studies

Product details

• Assisted by: Caron (Editor), Jean-François Caron (Editor), Hélène Thibault (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.09.2023
• EAN: 9789811943300
• ISBN: 978-981-1943-30-0
• No. of pages: 176
• Dimensions: 148 mm x 10 mm x 210 mm
• Illustrations: XII, 176 p. 19 illus., 13 illus. in color.
• Series: The Steppe and Beyond: Studies; The Steppe and Beyond: Studies on Central Asia
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Women's and gender studies