ABSTRACT
In addition to the themes outlined in the previous chapters, the discourse of patrimonial nationalism in post-Communist Central Asian states has also used a series of symbols to legitimate its position. The elite have created a ‘national’ history, and used myths, slogans and symbols to promote their self-identity. Patrimonial nationalism also has a complicated relationship with Islam, where it employs a combination of positive and negative symbols. The national elites utilize some aspects of Islam, particularly its association with the historical, national heritage to act as a unifying force, but Islam is also used to designate the ‘outsider,’ a potential threat to state security and stateness.
