NATIONAL REVIVAL IN THE UZBEK SSR DURING PERESTROIKA (1985–1991): A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS WITHIN POST-SOVIET TENDENCIES

• Oybek Ikrom o’g’li Anorboyev

  Author

This article examines the processes of national awakening in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR) during the period of Soviet restructuring known as perestroika (1985–1991), placing them within the broader framework of national revival movements that emerged across the post-Soviet space. Drawing on historical, political science, and comparative methodologies, the study analyzes the role of intellectual elites, language policy reform, and civic mobilization in shaping Uzbek national identity under late Soviet conditions. The article argues that while Uzbekistan's national movement shared structural similarities with Baltic and Caucasian counterparts — including the centrality of language legislation and cultural organizations — it diverged significantly in its trajectory owing to institutional constraints, the dominance of the Communist Party apparatus, and the absence of mass street mobilization. The Birlik (Unity) Popular Movement is analyzed as the primary vehicle of national articulation, and its limitations are compared against analogous movements in Estonia, Latvia, and Georgia. The findings contribute to broader theoretical debates on nationalism under authoritarian conditions and the uneven character of decolonization within the Soviet empire.

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