Forging Civic Identity in Kyrgyzstan: State Policies and Ethno-religious Groups

This article examines Kyrgyzstan’s Kyrgyz Jarany Concept (2021–2026), a state-led initiative to foster a unified civic identity amidst ethnic and religious diversity. Drawing on 2022 fieldwork, which included interviews and focus groups with diverse ethno-religious groups, the study reveals widespread support for the Concept’s ideals but scepticism about its implementation. It argues that weak state capacity, elite fragmentation and contested interpretations of language and religion constrain policy implementation. Amongst some majority-group respondents, civic aspirations are reinterpreted through majoritarian lenses. Kyrgyzstan’s experience illustrates the broader challenge of constructing and implementing inclusive civic identities in weak states with multinational legacies.