ETHNIC IDENTITY IN CENTRAL ASIA: HISTORICAL PROCESSES AND ETHNOLOGICAL CONTINUITY

Abstract

This article investigates the formation and transformation of ethnic identity in Central Asia by integrating historical inquiry with ethnological analysis. The region’s ethnic landscape has been shaped by long-term historical dynamics, including population movements, imperial rule, religious change, and socio-political restructuring. Rather than viewing ethnic identity as a fixed category, the study conceptualizes it as a historically conditioned and culturally sustained process. Particular emphasis is placed on kinship relations, oral traditions, ritual practices, and customary norms as key instruments of cultural transmission. The article demonstrates that, despite profound political and social transformations, traditional cultural mechanisms have enabled the persistence and reinterpretation of ethnic identity. This research contributes to broader scholarly discussions on ethnicity, identity construction, and cultural resilience in historically complex regions.