Uyat, or shame, is a traditional custom in Central Asian republics and is used to regulate individuals’ behaviours and to encourage them to conform to the dominant social norms. In the recent past, a number of well-publicised events have demonstrated the prevalence of this custom and the impact it may have on people, even the powerful such as the Kyrgyz President’s 20-year-old daughter who was accused in 2017 of shaming her family for posting on Instagram photos of her bump and of her breastfeeding her new-born child.
The prevalence of this custom has even led to the creation of a new cartoon hero named ‘Uyatman’ whose role it was to ‘patrol Kazakhstan to stop women from behaving indecently’ following a well-publicized protest by a man who gained recognition when he publicly denounced the unveiling of a statue in Astana depicting a man and a woman holding each other, because it was possible to see the outline of the female body. Outraged by this artwork which he felt was shameful for women, he covered the female body in a colourful robe to protect her dignity.
Women are clearly more affected by this custom which reinforces the patriarchal Central Asian culture and its conservative value system that emphasises the importance of a traditional family where the wife is subordinate to her husband. However, despite the fact that women are usually the primary victims of this custom, shame is used in a variety of ways and its weight is also felt by men, especially homosexuals and men who don’t live up to societies’ idea of masculinity, are targeted and shamed for their behaviour. The same can be said in cases where family members see a failure to help one’s relative as uyat.
This custom raises several questions:
-What are the historical roots of this custom?
-Among what groups of people if this culture more prevalent?
-What are the behaviours that are generally labelled as shameful?
-Is the younger generation less inclined to abide by the demanding nature of this custom?
-What are the forms of resistance people have developed against this custom?
-Is the fear of uyat challenging other forms of authority, such as the one coming from the state?
Scholars are invited to study these questions (and many more) in an upcoming edited volume on the role of uyat in Central Asia to be published with Palgrave MacMillan in The Steppe and Beyond: Studies on Central Asia series. Those interested are invited to submit a 500-words proposal to Jean-François Caron (jean-francois.caron@nu.edu.kz) and Hélène Thibault (helene.thibault@nu.edu.kz) by January 31, 2021. Scholars whose abstract will be accepted will then have until the Summer of 2021 to submit their final chapter.