Abstract
This paper explores the role of sport in national identity formation in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan through the theoretical lens of ethno-symbolism. The collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent independence of Kyrgyzstan in 1991 created the need for the state and other national elites to define a Kyrgyz national identity, which the paper argues relied heavily on the revival and promotion of ethnic symbols, myths, and shared cultural memory. Looking specifically at the creation of the World Nomad Games in 2012 following years of political and social instability, the focus on nomadic heritage through sport symbolically roots modern Kyrgyz identity within its nomadic past and helps draw symbolic boundaries that differentiate Kyrgyzstan from its Russian and Soviet histories in a post-colonial framework. Using ethnographic observations and media analysis, the paper shows how sport and the symbolic elements within games in the Kyrgyz context provide tangible connections to the foundation of an ethno-national identity. Building upon recent research in the sports nationalism literature, this paper advocates the ethno-symbolist framework of analysis for nation building in the post-Soviet Central Asian state, particularly in the context of the growing sporting culture in Kyrgyzstan.
Presenters
Josh HughesStudent, A.M. - Russian, Eastern European, and Central Asian Studies, Harvard University, Massachusetts, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Sporting Cultures and Identities
KEYWORDS
National Identity, Nation Building, Ethno-symbolism, Nomad Games, Kyrgyzstan, Post-colonial, Memory
