The Norms and the Politics of Multiculturalism: An Analysis of Post - 2010 Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

This work is a contribution to the study of politics of multiculturalism in Kyrgyzstan by critically studying, on the one hand, the values behind Kyrgyzstan’s most important post-conflict policy document on the subject - “The Concept on strengthening of the nation unity and inter-ethnic relations in the Kyrgyz Republic,” which is aimed at engendering inter-ethnic cohesion and observance of minority rights; and on the other hand, the political reality of inter-ethnic relations on the ground, as opposed to the normative ideas in the Concept. This study problematizes the relationship between the norms and the politics of multiculturalism in Kyrgyzstan, suggesting that the policy of the Kyrgyz Republic was based more on top-down manner, rather than on bottom-up, which makes implementation of the policy in practice problematic. The paper evaluates the Concept as very strongly influenced by international advice, namely the OSCE HCNM, and insufficiently informed by consultation with agents on the ground. The Concept adopted by the Kyrgyzstani government is argued in the paper as a top-down project, rather than a community-owned and community-shared project, as it does not include broad public opinion and public support for most of policy ideas in it. Along with that, the paper highlights some other potential factors preventing full-scale implementation of the HCNM recommendations for social integration in Kyrgyzstan, such as post-conflict implications and lack of external incentives. Finally, with the above critical observations, the paper questions the conceptual applicability of the OSCE HCNM recommendations in the political realm of post-conflict Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan’s experience also speaks more broadly to the question of managing culturally diverse societies around the world, and to the idea of multiculturalism in general.