ISLAMIC EXTREMISM AND TERRORISM IN CENTRAL ASIA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

The paper examines the process of securitization of Islam in Central Asia within three sectors, namely, military, political and societal. It argues that securitization is not merely a speech act, it also is an associated political process that affects the adoption of laws related to traditions, freedom of conscience, religious associations, public organizations, political parties and security policy. The article presents the methods that were used to construe various notions of Islam as a threat. The prerequisites of this policy are deconstructed and analyzed, along with its consequences for the political system and the reproduction of authoritarianism in the states under scrutiny. The theory of securitization is presented in the beginning of the article. The second part examines the military sphere, where Islamic radicalism is portrayed as a threat to the security of the state, population, territorial integrity and military potential. The next part examines the political sphere, where Islamic radicalism is said to threaten the sovereignty of the state, its institutions, and the stability and sustainability of the social order. The final part of the paper focuses on the discourse and practice within the societal sector, which touches upon issues in which Islamic radicalism threatens collective identity, language, and culture.