ABSTRACT
The role of Islam and ethnic identity in Central Asia has dominated academic and policy research on this region for some time. It is difficult in any analysis to separate ethnic, religious, cultural and other identities from each other, and our survey again presented mixed results with regard to ethnic and national identity. Facing a litany of political, economic and social challenges at home, Central Asian citizens are often expected to be in favour of turning to other countries for aid and assistance. Islam plays a key role, especially in Uzbekistan, in the way people identify themselves, but not necessarily in the all-encompassing or strictly religious way often ascribed to it. National differences are also strong, but are not clear cut: divisions and tensions may be as deep among, and even within, Central Asian groups as between Central Asians and Slavs.
