Political Islam in Uzbekistan: Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami

Abstract

This article aims to understand the rise of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Uzbekistan. It begins with a description of political Islam in Uzbekistan, and situates the Hizb ut-Tahrir in the broader context of transnational Islamic mobilisation. The article draws on fieldwork and explores how theories of social movements can help explain the emergence of this group. Social movement theories focus on multiple aspects of the origins of collective action, including responses to structural strains, mobilisation of resources, responses to political opportunities and framing processes. Although most studies of social movements focus on one or another of these theories, they are employed here together in relation to the emergence of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Uzbekistan. Finally, the article suggests that the group's ideology can be understood as a powerful basis for collective action.