Statics and Dynamics of Ethnic Autostereotypes of Uzbek Youth (On the Experience of a Fifteen-Year Historical Cross-Section)

Abstract

The comparative results of the 15-year study on stereotypical associations regarding the ethnonym “Uzbeks” among uzbek youth are presented in the article. Methods. The main components of the content of the ethnic autostereotype of uzbek youth at the beginning of our century (2003–2005) and today are revealed by the method of associative experiment. Comparative analysis of the results of the association experiment in the context of 15 years showed a significant increase in the role of “personal traits” in the characteristics of their ethnic group, as opposed to a sharp reduction in the share of traditional activities and their products. Results. It is pointed out that despite the fact that the concepts related to national clothing retain their leading positions (for example “tyubeteika”, “atlas”, etc.) and objects of national life (“lagan”, “tandyr” etc.), the strengthening of ethnic self-perception through the historical prism and geographical features was recorded, which may be a consequence of active educational work, which focusing on historical achievements and the special geostrategic position of the country. It is concluded that the results obtained can be a sign of noticeable shifts in the national consciousness of uzbek youth, which are manifested in the shift of attention from the external attributes of the traditional way of life of the ethnic group to the internal composition of these formal features.

Keywords

• associative experiment
• ethnic autostereotypes
• ethnic group
• ethnic identification
• ethnic self-awareness
• evolution of stereotypes